Trust
by kawaii-animal
Summary: Complete! Sakura likes Syaoran, but convinced herself of the opposite, when she figures out, he does not trust her at all. While capturing the cards, and living her hard life, Syaoran has to seek the truth behind all the mess. SS, bit ET R
1. The First Beginnings

**Titel:** Trust

**Summary:** Sakura likes Syaoran, but convinced herself of the opposite, when she figures out, he doesn't trust her at all. While capturing the cards, and living her hard life, Syaoran has to seek the truth behind all the mess. SS ET R&R

**Disclaimer:** I don't own CCS. Even if I said I did, you wouldn't believe me anyway. Hell, I wouldn't even believe that myself, I'm not _that_ brilliant…! XD

_**Chapter one**_

_**The first beginnings**_

Life really isn't fun sometimes.

On her age of 11, Kinomoto Sakura meets a Clowcard for the first time, and with that, she meets Keroberos for the first time, the Guardian Beast of the Seal. Discovering her own powers, it took a long battle to capture the card, named Sweet. At her age, this was a difficult battle and her brother Touya had found her in the backyard that time, all drained and tired with a talking stuffed animal.

At this moment, Touya grew very overprotective of her. He didn't let her experience anything, for then, when a card would appear, she would already be drained before she could fight the cards.

Not being able to watch over her every moment of the day, made him promise her to be at home by 4 pm, strict. In that period of her life, this would mean, right after school. This meant, there was no time for her social life, which resulted in having no friends at all.

Sakura always listened to her older brother and hardly ever complained. And how could she? Not only was he twice her size, she didn't had parents to turn to. Their mother died 3 years after Sakura's birth from a decease, and her father died 2 years after that in a car accident.

This meant her brother had to take care of her. But she was glad he did. Without Touya, she wouldn't be anywhere at all. But it didn't mean it would make life that much easier.

xxxxx

At the age of 17, Sakura went to College. This was a chance. A new environment meant a new friends, a new beginning, and, very important: instead of 4 pm, she had to be home at 5 pm. A whole improvement.

And new friends she got. In her first class, she made contact with three girls, Naoko, Chiharu and Rika. Second class, Tomoyo and Takashi were new. But most important, in her fifth class on her first day, she met Eriol and… Syaoran.

No, don't get me wrong here, this wasn't love at first sight, not at all. It came step by step, first unnoticed, and later on more willingly. Just one problem about this… it was one-sided.

Or he never showed it, or… even worse then that. But we will get there later on.

Life went on for Sakura, and beside all her new chances, her problems didn't disappear, they only got worse. In her first week, she had to skip a few hours of her classes, because a card appeared nearby. And to make it worse, her new friends thought it was normal to hang around together after school.

Okay, so it _was_ normal, but not for her, she couldn't come, and even worse, she couldn't explain. Lies, lies, lies. She spread lies everywhere, and she hated it.

But lets just take a closer look at the cards for a moment.

In the 5 to 6 years she captured the cards, she had gotten 39 cards. It sounds like much, but then again, Sakura had no idea how many cards there were at all.

Just so you know which cards where already captured:

Arrow, Big, Bubble, Change, Cloud, Create, Dash, Dream, Float, Flower, Fly, Glow, Jump, Libra, Little, Lock, Loop, Maze, Mirror, Mist, Move, Rain, Return, Sand, Shadow, Shield, Silent, Sleep, Snow, Song, Sweet, Through, Time, Twin, Voice, Watery, Wave, Windy and Wood.

Maybe you already figured it out. The most difficult cards aren't in the list. From the start, it was the same: every new card there came, was more difficult to defeat then the last one.

Though it made her stronger, and the cards easier to defeat, Sakura, nor Touya, could figure out why it was like that. It was a mystery. (**Even to me XD)**

All cards were hard to defeat, but Sakura won every single one of them. But this had a cost. Every time one had to be turned into a card, they drained her energy to transform into a card. And to make it harder, they also drained her energy when she used the cards to fight the others. This resulted in her, being powerless after every fight.

She tried her best not to be seen by anyone, for after every fight, she was pale, weak and dirty from the fight. The sight of her would make question marks rise in people passing by.

xxxxx

_okay, it's just a beginning, an intro, but it is something. So how did think of it? Even flames will do, as long as I get my reviews XD XD_

_Oh, I know… I said I wouldn't post anything, until I had the story half finished. But I haven't written anything besides this, and I did post it, so there…! Just be happy with it! (I HOPE YOU ARE!) But this time, I know what is going to happen, the entire story is in my head, and a large summary on my pc, so this time, no forgotten characters in the end, or sentences that didn't make any sense at all. _

_Review!_

_Kawaii-animal_


	2. Christmass On My Own

**Titel:** Trust

**Summary:** Sakura likes Syaoran, but convinced herself of the opposite, when she figures out, he doesn't trust her at all. While capturing the cards, and living her hard life, Syaoran has to seek the truth behind all the mess. SS ET R&R

**Disclaimer:** I don't own CCS. Even if I said I did, you wouldn't believe me anyway. Hell, I wouldn't even believe that myself, I'm not _that_ brilliant…! XD

Answering reviews (that's new…):

**Kryuzei:** Of course it is short, it's an intro. They are supposed to be short! (I hope…) Is this chap long enough, though? XD

**FlowerLover:** Fast enough? I think so! Pretty fast for my doing XD

**Dbzgtdan2004:** Thank you! Not much S&S in this chap, but you'll survive… XD

_**Chapter two**_

_**Christmas on my own**_

Sakura walked out the school, where her friends already stood. It was her Third year on this school, and she was doing pretty well. Her grades were high, for she had enough time in the evening to study. She carried her schoolbag, with again lots of homework for the next day. But she was already half finished with that, because of her free time.

She heard her friends talking about going to the mall, to buy presents for Christmas. They didn't ask her to come anymore, just waved her goodbye when she walked over to them.

She hated that. It hurts. But she accepted.

It was a strange rule in this friendship. They didn't ask, she didn't lie. Sometimes she wondered why they accepted her as a friend anyway.

She waved back, looking at Syaoran for the last time that day, and started walking home, the same route as every other day. She could walk it with her eyes closed. Or skate. Normally she would skate, but it was snowing today, so she walked. She loosened her scarf a bit, she wasn't one to get cold that easily.

The streets were covered with snow, that was still falling. She loved snow, it was so beautiful! But she hated it to. Her foot-marks were visible in the snow, and she could be easily tracked down. Not that it happened often, but it _did_ happen.

She shivered when she recalled the capture of the Mirror. The card had chased her for hours in the snow, and Sakura couldn't get rid of her, surprise or capture her because of her foot-marks. It took hours to capture the Mirror.

Sakura walked on, when she felt a faint power, coming from a Clowcard, immediately followed by an earth quake.

Being on guard as always, she went into the forest behind Penguin Park, that she was just passing by. In this forest, there were no people, and she could be the card captor without anyone knowing. She had captured more cards in this place and it had always been save.

xxxxx

Walking with his friends, Li Syaoran had his thoughts elsewhere. Emerald eyes looked at him, from his mind. He liked her, a lot, but he couldn't understand her, at all. This angel had classes with him about twice a day, this angel with auburn hair.

_Kinomoto Sakura…_

They were friends, as were the rest of the group, but they never were together. She was always gone. He didn't know why she had to go home this early, but he never asked, knowing she wouldn't speak the truth anyway. Her first year here existed from lies, lies, lies.

Luckily, that had stopped, but still, no one knew the truth behind her. A thought that had struck him before, passed again. _Maybe she is being abused…_But he didn't really believed that.

He had seen her before, though she didn't know that. At a moment when there was a great amount of sand nearby the Penguin Park, that had destroyed numerous things, he had seen her pass by very rapidly. He didn't follow her that time and walked home. But when he returned an hour later for shopping, the sand was gone, the police was everywhere, and he had seen Sakura struggle away from the mess, pale, weak and dirty. Luckily for her, not being seen by the police and bystanders.

He hadn't followed her that time, nor the next time when he had seen her, pale, weak and dirty all over again. That time, the trees where doing weird things, for they grew very rapidly and overgrown the entire penguin park. Why she had been there, he didn't know, but it was something to think about.

It had to do something with magic. Sand and trees didn't appear just like that in a normal world. Only when there was magic. He had promised himself he had to check out, the next time something like this would happen. If there was a next time.

Walking to the mall, they all heard a voice crying 'Wait for me!'

Syaoran winced hearing that voice. He always hoped secretly that it would be Sakura calling for them, or him. But it was never her, it was always the same irritating person.

_Li Meilin._

Yes, Li. Meaning family. A cousin to be exact. A cousin, hunting for him. Why? Simple, she wanted to marry him. That's why she was so irritating. She always went along, joining in whatever he did, never leaving him alone. Except for school, because she had different classes then him.

Honestly, that was one of the only reasons why he didn't like her much. He had to admit, she was very popular in school, had many friends, boys going crazy around her. Not very strange, for she was a beauty, and quite intelligent to.

But strict. Very strict… She always obeyed the rules of the Li-clan, and she had figured out, that the family wouldn't complain if Meilin and Syaoran were to get married. Damned family…

As the rest turned around to wait for Meilin, Syaoran spotted Wei nearby, his personal butler and friend. Though Wei was shopping for tonight's dinner, Syaoran figured Wei wouldn't mind to help him out a bit.

Meilin reached the group. 'Hey, what are you guys going to do?' She smiled sweetly at them, her black hair hanging loosely around her face.

'We're going to get Christmas presents!' Chiharu beamed at her. 'Want to join us?'

Without thought, Meilin agreed. 'Sure, I'd love to! I have to get my presents for my family to.' She winked secretly at Syaoran. As the group snickered, Syaoran just rolled his eyes.

They had walked just a few steps, when Syaoran's phone rang. 'Hello, Syaoran here.' He said as he had picked up the phone. After a moment of listening, he answered. 'Sure, I'll come right away.'

Looking at his friends, he pronounced: 'I've got to get home. My mother wants to speak to me.'

Meilin pouted at that, as the rest simply nodded and mumbled things like 'okay' and 'Till tomorrow'. Meilin didn't try to follow, she couldn't. Not only had she agreed to go shopping, but she new the family rules. If Yelen wanted to talk to her son, and she wasn't invited, she could better not come.

The group waved, as Syaoran walked in the opposite direction, waving back just once.

Alright, maybe it wasn't so nice of him to signal Wei as Meilin didn't look, to call him. Wei had understood perfectly fine what Syaoran had meant, and came up with an excuse for him to leave. His mother didn't want to talk to him, he was just trying to escape from Meilin. It had worked, of course, as always. And Meilin still didn't suspect a thing.

Luckily the group of friends had known of his escapes, and always covered for him. He thought about his friends for a moment, when he got the feeling he missed someone there. Chiharu, Rika, Naoko, Takashi, Eriol…

_Where is Tomoyo?_

Okay, it wasn't strange for Tomoyo to disappear time by time. She always did that, for she was enslaved in videotaping. No one knew what she taped, for she had said it was a secret and they would find out when it was finished.

Walking in the direction of his house, he felt an earthquake. No, not only felt, also sensed it. Things like this had happened before. A disaster would strike, and he would sense magic. And sometimes he would see...

_Sakura...! _

Remembering his own promise, he followed the sense of magic, wondering if he could finally figure out what Sakura had to do with this. It took him a while to reach it, for an earthquake appeared every minute, throwing him a bit of balance, slowing him down. When he reached Penguin Park, he knew for sure she would be here.

_Why always this place? _

Running into the forest behind this, he saw a blinding light, and then the earthquakes stopped. He leaped into a tree to have a better few, and after a few minutes, he saw Sakura struggling forward.

Pale, weak, dirty and with a few wounds on her arms and leg, and one on her side, she looked horrible. She cursed at no one in particular. It sounded like... she had failed on something. The earthquakes had stopped, so that couldn't be it. Maybe... she had caused all this...

He didn't really wanted to believe that, but he had to see it as an option. Seeing the object of his affection struggle to stand, he wanted to go to her, help her, but he didn't. She was trying not to get noticed, and going to her, meant she failed at that.

But seeing her in this condition, he just had to help her get save. He had just decided to help her, when someone came into the forest. He recognized that aura immediately and stayed where he was.

_Kinomoto Touya._

'Sakura? Sakura!' Touya called as he ran through the forest. Kero flew besides him, in his small form.

'I'm here, nii-san.' Sakura answered weekly.

Touya reached his little sister and picked her up. Though already 19 years old, Sakura was still a petite and fragile looking girl. Being small and light made it easy to carry her in these circumstances. 'You okay?' He asked, as she nodded slightly. 'Which one was it?'

'Earthy...' she coughed a bit.

As Touya walked away, carrying his sister, Syaoran followed them silently, hopping from tree to tree, so they wouldn't notice him. But it didn't take long, for Touya to notice something was wrong. 'Someone is here.' he said quietly. He looked meaningful at Sakura, who almost fell asleep in his arms, while Kero put on his stuffed-doll-mode.

'Nobody saw me, that I know for sure. Must have come afterwards.' She mumbled. Touya nodded and walked further, leaving Syaoran behind, who didn't dare to follow anymore.

_I don't get it anymore... Did she just do a good or a bad thing?_ What_ did she do anyway? What the heck is Earthy? And the yellow little thing?_

Syaoran waited a bit, and then returned home, pondering over the mystery that Sakura was.

xxxxx

Sakura lay in bed, sleeping fast but turbulent. By sleeping, she restored her energy, which was almost gone with the capture of the Earthy card. She dreamed of her cards and the capture of the last one.

Earthy was a difficult card to catch. Earthquakes weren't the only thing earthy produced. Luckily no one was nearby at that time, for the earth had his own will. Pillars of earth had raised, rocks were being thrown at her, cloves appeared on the spots where she was standing.

It was a dangerous battlefield, and she had used fly and jump to escape it all. She had used Watery against it, and Earthy had dissolved into mud. Being mud, earthy was powerless, and Sakura had captured him at that point.

Defeating him wasn't so hard, but before she actually had the time to defeat it, she had been hit several times. A pillar had hit her on her side, and it had been bleeding pretty much. The stones, flying around, had hit her on her arms and legs and caused several wounds there.

This was one of the times she was truly thankful for having her brother with her. He had treated her wounds, so tomorrow, in school, nobody would notice, with a bit luck of course. And luckily, cards only came once a month, sometimes even skipping a month, so she had all the time she needed to recover.

When the fight with Earthy had passed her dreams several times, she started to dream of Syaoran, and her sleep became a lot more peaceful.

xxxxx

It was Friday now, and it was snowing, again. Sakura walked to school, trying to act as if nothing was wrong with her body. She ignored the stinging pain on her side and walked without limping.

In school, she greeted Syaoran and Chiharu, who she had her first class with. Tomoyo came in shortly after her. Syaoran greeted her and secretly checked if she was okay. At least she didn't show it. Long sleeves covered it all.

'Did the present-hunting go well, yesterday?' Sakura asked cheerfully to all three of them, hiding the pain of not being able to come with them.

'Sort of.' Chiharu answered. 'Tomoyo had disappeared, _again_, and Syaoran had to skip because Meilin wanted to come with us.' She shot Tomoyo an accusing look, and sniggered at the face Syaoran made. Sakura had to laugh about this. 'We finished buying presents for Rika and Naoko, and half for me and Meilin. Eriol is planning to go with Syaoran, in the case Meilin wants to come as well. Takashi and I are going again somewhere next week.'

'I presume you're going to buy your presents with Touya tomorrow?' Tomoyo asked innocently.

Sakura faced changed to thoughtful. 'I guess so. Don't know when to buy the present for Touya, though...'

'Why's that? You can go alone too, right? Or with one of us...' Chiharu asked, but clapped her mouth shut, as soon as she realized what she had said.

Sakura's face darkened and saddened for a moment, but she managed to hide it very fast with an soft expression. Her friends, of course, could see right trough that. 'Can't do so...' Sakura answered, and turned her face to the front of the class, letting her friends stare at her back, so they couldn't see her sad face.

Syaoran shot daggers at Chiharu, who wanted to disappear that instant. They all knew something was wrong with Sakura and her social life. She wasn't allowed to do anything with her friends, and especially not alone. Not that Sakura had ever told them that, they just knew. All had met Touya, and they all knew parts of the rules he made.

But no one understood.

Class began, and they forgot what had happened for a while. Syaoran stared at Sakura's back, wondering about her mysteries. Sakura was with her own thoughts, trying to forget them, push them back, to not return.

Class ended, and another class started. It didn't take long and school was over. Her friends waved her goodbye, wishing her a merry Christmas, as she returned all the best wishes. Sakura walked home, all alone, as usual. Her friends were going to their favorite spot to relax, as they did every Friday.

At home, she found Touya and to her happiness, Yukito as well.

Yukito lived in a dorm nearby. He used to live with his grandparents, after his parents died, but unfortunately, they died as well. His birthday coincided with Christmas, which meant he would stay those days with the Kinomoto's and have a double party.

Yukito often came over, or lets say, he was more often at the Kinomoto-residence then at his dorm. Sakura secretly thought he liked Touya. Well, that wouldn't be a surprise, they had been together since forever, and their band only grew closer, after she and Touya found out Yukito had a second personality: Yue, The Guardian of the Moon. After Yue arose, he became the guardian of Sakura as well, together with Kero.

Not that he often showed himself. Normally he wouldn't even show himself when a fight was very difficult. He only came when he thought she couldn't handle it anymore. He had said once, in a argument with Touya, that she wouldn't become stronger if she got help every time it was hard for her.

Strange enough, Touya had agreed with that, and let her struggle on her own. But afterwards, he was always there to help her, and he was still _very_ overprotective on all different parts on her life. Guess that will never really change.

On this moment, both boys were cooking dinner for that night. 'Hello, Sakura-chan! How was school today?' Yukito asked, as Touya observed her, to see if the bruises still hurt.

'Hey Yuki! A good day as usual!' She beamed. Who cared she lied about that as well?

'That's my girl, always cheerful!' Yukito smiled his famous smile, that would made all the girls crazy. It had made her crazy ones to, but not anymore, after she met Syaoran. 'Are you going Christmas shopping tomorrow?'

Sakura looked at Touya for confirmation, who answered: 'Sorry, kaijuu. I've got to work tomorrow.'

_Opportunity!_ 'Oh! Can I go with my friends?'

'Like hell you could. Maybe Yukito can go with you.' Touya answered agitated.

Sakura face fell a bit and then looked hopefully at Yukito.

'Sorry, no can do. I've more work then you tomorrow, Touya.' Yukito said sadly, jet a bit playfully.

'Well, then we don't have a choice, since the day after tomorrow is already Christmas.'

Sakura and Yukito both looked at Touya and yelled terrified at the same time: 'Don't say no presents!'

'Wha…' There was no space for Touya to say more.

'It's double party, onii-san!' Sakura exclaimed angrily.

'Actually…' Touya tried.

'I always get more food as presents for my birthday and Christmas!' Yukito wailed.

'I WASN'T GOING TO SAY "NO PRESENTS"!' Touya yelled between Yukito's wails.

Yukito stopped and smiled again. 'Knew that would work…' he mumbled, as he winked at Sakura, who sweat dropped.

'_As I was going to say_, we can all go tonight, it's shopping night.'

'All? But then you will see your presents!' Sakura cried.

'You can go into the shop alone, kaijuu, within reachable time.'

'Wai!' Sakura made a little dance around the room, as the boy sweat dropped. Sometimes, it was really easy to make her happy… Sometimes…

'Yuki, can you finish dinner? I'll have to clean Sakura's wounds.' Touya asked Yukito, as he motioned Sakura to go upstairs.

Yuki nodded and was left alone with dinner. He made a few extra rice balls as he was getting very hungry all of a sudden.

xxxxx

Sakura walked in front, carrying two bags: one present for Touya and three for Yukito, as it was his birthday. There weren't any other persons to buy presents for, as she wouldn't see them anyway.

But she did always send cards to all of her friends, so they didn't think she'd forgotten them, and she got cards back as well. But on this rule was one exception. Every year, she would buy a present for Syaoran, and use the Clowcards to get it in his room, so he wouldn't know who gave it to him. And he had never figured it out, as planned, or so she thought…

This year, she still had to buy something for him. Entering a shop, one of the last that was left, Sakura immediately knew she would find her present here. Touya and Yukito wobbled behind her, as she searched for this one special thing.

This time, it was a little fake sword, a bit shorter then her forearm. Made of a weird, glistering metal, and a wolf embedded in the hilt. It was a weird, useless, yet cute little thing, and she just felt like it was the right present for her special someone.

Buying it, Touya looked suspiciously at it, wondering for who it could be. Of course, he knew she would buy one present to much every year, but she had never told him for who it was.

They went home again, with Yukito, who was staying over, as usual. With the little money they had, they thought it was easier to use the cards to create a Christmas tree, and they started to decorate this special tree.

Normally, it was forbidden to use the cards unnecessarily, but with Christmas, the cards allowed it. Because at this special day, all cards returned to normal and celebrated with them. Making a party of tree people crowded with strange beings. A strange, yet special Christmas.

xxxxx

It was Saturday, the day before Christmas, and Syaoran went shopping with Eriol. To their luck, Meilin hadn't showed herself yet, making this shopping a peaceful one.

Syaoran had to buy lots of presents. Not only for his friends, with whom he spend first Christmas day, but also for his four sisters, mother, and close family members, with whom he spend second Christmas day.

That's right, he flew over to Hong Kong in the night between first and second Christmas day. Normally, he wouldn't have done that, and had flown right over, as soon as the holiday started. But after the first Christmas here, he had discovered after coming back from Hong Kong, a present on his bed.

A present for him.

And not just some present. Somehow, this present seemed perfect. He had immediately felt that this came from Sakura, but knowing she wanted it to be a secret, he never talked about it. Instead, he always bought her a present, and put it on first Christmas day on her windowsill and returned to Hong Kong in the night.

He had already bought her a present this year, which he thought she would like. With, of course, a bit help from Eriol, because with his crooked mind, he knew exactly what he should absolutely _not_ give. In the end, this always resulted in a perfect present, which Syaoran had chosen anyway.

Happy that the most important gift had already been bought, he continued the present-hunting, for him and for Eriol. Second most important present was Eriols present for Tomoyo, on who he had a crush, for a long time already.

But knowing Tomoyo, she was always gone, and never gave Eriol the chance to confess any of his feelings. So what he gave her as a present was always very important.

And so the boys went on shopping, hating shopping more and more with every step they took, but continuing until they had bought every single present.

xxxxx

It was first Christmas, and Sakura woke up early for once. She heard a little snore coming from the drawer beside her bed, and stood up silently to not wake Kero, her lion-like guardian, momentary in his stuffed-animal-mode.

Opening the curtains, she found a little package on her windowsill. A happy smile split her face, as she grabbed the present and examined it.

Every first day of Christmas, a package was lying on her windowsill, containing one of those 'perfect presents'. She new very well that this present came from Syaoran, although she didn't understand how he could get it in her room: her window was closed, locked. She did that every year, just to see if the window would stop him.

But it never did.

It was sad, though. Giving her a present, could mean he liked her, but he never showed her that, he never made a move for her. Maybe he gave _all_ of his friends gifts, and hers was on the windowsill, so he could avoid Touya.

Sounded pretty logical.

The thought that he knew she gave him the present every year, didn't cross her mind once.

Opening the present she squeaked happily. Inside was a pretty carved cherry blossom of wood, as big as her two hands. It was painted in soft colors, and could hang on the wall. It obeyed to the rules of every year: Weird, useless and cute. It was beautiful, and she immediately found a place for it, besides the other gifts from him.

Now she was truly happy again and she hopped down from the stairs, getting the kaijuu-treatment from Touya.

He cursed and hopped around on one foot as well, after she stomped it.

Yukito was making breakfast, and it smelled deliciously and special. And it was. _**(Can't explain, don't know any Japanese food)** _

After breakfast, the cards were set free for the day, and they spread around the house, doing the things they couldn't do when being a card: it became a mess inside.

It was present time, and they gave each other what they had bought. Yukito gleamed with happiness, as he got all kind of food from his two friends. Touya got things he needed for the house, as he always complained about having not enough money to buy necessary equipment. Sakura got a picture album from Yukito, so she could always see her friends. At this Yukito glared at Touya for a moment. He had never agreed to the overprotective treatment Touya gave Sakura.

From Touya, Sakura got a poster. And not just a poster. It was a family picture, of the time their parents were still alive, adjusted, so Touya and Sakura stood on the picture in their present age. It was a huge poster, and it warmed Sakura's heart. This was one of the times, that Sakura new very well that Touya wanted the best for her, and, most of all, that he had a difficult time as well.

They had to go trough this together.

In the end, Christmas was the same as every year, together with the cards, her brother, Yukito and Kero. The cards didn't want any presents. Sakura had tried to give them ones, but they only wanted some affection from Sakura now and then. Kero got a lot of food, and fought with Yukito over the last pieces.

But she felt lonely nonetheless. She had two weeks vacation, and she wouldn't see her friends at all. Touya and Yukito had to work both, which meant she was home alone for two weeks during the day. Kero was there to accompany her, but all he did was playing games.

She couldn't sneak out, for Touya would know immediately. He always knew. Al she could do was the house shores and her homework. Working ahead of everyone, again…

New year came and went. They partied with each other, but nothing special. It was a good night, but she just missed something.

On January the third, it was Fujitaka's birthday, and Sakura and Touya went to visit his grave, bringing fresh flowers with them. Touya had took the day of for this, and they spend it together.

A week later, school started again, and Sakura looked forward to it. She had finished her school work for the entire trimester already, but she didn't care. At least she would get good grades.

xxxxx

Syaoran had a great two weeks vacation. Being with his family was fun, his sisters and mother had missed him greatly. That's what you get of going to College in a different country.

They had a lot of good times together, which they only did on these special occasions. Even Meilin was bearable these days. The had given each other present, and he had to say, it wasn't as good as the one lying in Tomoeda at the moment.

The miniature sword with the wolf on the hilt was something he gave a special place in his room, and in his heart. He had to say, each present he got from her, was even better then the last one, but he had given them all a special place in his room.

xxxxx

_Whiejj I've made my own record of the length of the chapter…!_

_Hope you liked it! I sure had fun writing it XD_

_Read and Review! Don't forget!_

_Kawaii-animal_


	3. Broken Trust

**Titel:** Trust

**Summary:** Sakura likes Syaoran, but convinced herself of the opposite, when she figures out, he doesn't trust her at all. While capturing the cards, and living her hard life, Syaoran has to seek the truth behind all the mess. SS ET R&R

**Disclaimer:** I don't own CCS. Even if I said I did, you wouldn't believe me anyway. Hell, I wouldn't even believe that myself, I'm not _that_ brilliant…! XD

Answering reviews!: wai!

**Gwyn15:** Thank you!

**FlowerLover:** Thank you! More S&S is sure to come, of course. Does Tomoyo know? Eeh…I don't know XD _She has this strange behavior…so who knows…_Syaoran has magic, that's already been told between the lines. At least he can feel and recognize it. And Eriol…is just Eriol… ne?

_**Chapter three**_

_**Broken Trust**_

Sakura went through her daily routine. The snow had melted already, so she skated to school. Touya went to his work early, **(Yes, he and Yukito have already graduated from college and are both working XD)** and Yukito had returned to his dorm last night, so she had made her own lunch.

In school, she was five hole minutes early, and entering the class, she felt relieved to see all her friends again. Taking a seat, she greeted every one of them, and listened to the stories each had to tell.

'We spent two weeks at our second house in the mountains, after Christmas. Takashi and his parents joined us on Wednesday. We really had a good time there… I wished we could go there more often.' Chiharu told them, sitting besides Takashi, who nodded.

'What about you, Rika. Did you do anything special?' Naoko asked, as she was the first to tell her story, and could now enjoy listening to the others.

'Maybe something with…_Terada-sensei_?' Tomoyo added, as she just entered the class room, little stars shining in her eyes.

Sakura now realized that the entire group was complete, which meant the change in schedules had put them all together in the same class.

Rika blushed slightly and nodded with a smile. 'Hai, it's official now.'

'Wai!' Tomoyo and Sakura made a little dance, as everybody congratulated her on her success.

It had took her a lot of years to make the relationship between her and her former teacher official. This because she hadn't seen him anymore in her first years on high school, and after that, she had to start all over again with her charms.

'Did anything happened?' Eriol asked teasingly.

Rika turned redder, and nodded, turning her head down to hide the deep blush.

Eriol gaped at her, as he hadn't expected _that_ from the shyest girl in the entire school. The rest laughed as Rika tried to hide her face behind her curly locks.

'What about you, Syaoran?' Naoko asked to save her friend.

'Went to Hong Kong, as usual. I've been irritated a lot by my lovely sisters, mother and, of, course, not to forget, _Meilin_.' At this he made a face as the rest snickered. They heard a loud 'I HEARD THAT!' coming from the hallway, as Syaoran shrunk and the rest hooted even harder with laughter.

'What about you, Tomoyo?' Syaoran asked to change the subject.

'Secret…' She smiled mischievously and innocently at the same time. Everybody sweat dropped. When would they ever figure out what she was up to?

'How about you, Sakura?' Naoko asked.

Sakura smiled. 'Not much. Yukito spend the days with us, and we celebrated his birthday. I had to much free time, so I've finished all the homework for this trimester.' She smiled cutely, as the rest sweat dropped.

'So you can help us, ne, Sakura-chan?' Tomoyo asked sweetly, an halo hanging above her head.

'Scamp…' Sakura teased. 'How were your free weeks, Eriol-kun?' Sakura asked as she winked at Tomoyo, who stuck her tongue out.

'Boring… Yelen had invited me to Hong Kong for a few days, but Syaoran didn't had any time for me at all.' He pouted, as Syaoran rolled his eyes.

'Don't be sad, Eriol, you had enough attention from my sisters.' A grin crossed his face, as Eriols face fell.

'That was the problem…' He sighed and then wailed. 'You didn't even save me once from those family-monsters!'

'You mean twice.' Syaoran grinned, remembering Eriol running away from his sisters. He had saved him twice, but stopped doing so, as the sisters only came back time after time. Luckily for Eriol, Yelen had stopped running after him for a couple of years now. They were just good friends, that's why he was invited in the first place.

'That's what I said.' Eriol smiled now as well. The teacher came in and they all turned to him.

Class began.

Sakura thought it was boring, as she had learned everything already for this trimester, but paid attention nonetheless.

xxxxx

It was lunchtime, and Syaoran and Eriol sat together outside, under the only cherry blossom tree in the schoolyard.

Eriol new Syaoran very well – his entire lifetime – and right now, he knew his friend and family member was struggling with a problem.

'What's the matter, dear descendant?' Eriol asked teasingly. Most of the times, teasing him, would make him talk.

Syaoran punched him lightly on the arm but answered nonetheless. 'Sakura.'

Eriol turned immediately into his serious-mode. 'What about her, besides the fact that you like her?'

Syaoran sighed. _How to begin, how to explain…_ 'I… I have seen her. Several times already.'

He paused.

'Do you know the strange catastrophes…'

xxxxx

Sakura walked outside. Her friends were doing homework, as they had a small test the end of the day, so she thought about hanging out with Syaoran and Eriol for a bit. They were probably sitting by the cherry blossom tree, as that was their favorite spot in the schoolyard.

She was about to turn the last corner of the school building, separating her from the tree, when she heard Syaoran speak. She stopped immediately as she heard the words.

'… catastrophes around Penguin Park?.'

'Of course.' Eriol answered.

Sakura was curious about the subject. What _did_ they thought of those happenings? But what interested her the most was, _how much do they know?_

She didn't walk any further, but instead leaned against the wall of the building, eavesdropping.

xxxxx

'Well…' Syaoran stopped. 'First promise me you will never _ever _tell anybody.'

'Promise.' Eriol answered. He would always keep his promises.

'Okay, thank you, my friend. I really have to talk about this with someone. I've thought long about the answer to all of this.'

'Well, speak up then.'

'I've seen three of those catastrophes with my own eyes. Not the entire happening, but mostly the end.'

'Really now…'

'And… I have seen Sakura there all three times. No big deal about that, but she definitely had something to do with it.' He swallowed. 'Each time, she looked like…well, like hell. Very pale, and… dirty, and the last time, she was wounded, on her arms, legs and a larger wound on her side. She could hardly move at all. She was cursing, and then her brother came, with a small yellow creature. They talked about something called Earthy or something.'

He looked at his friend, who asked: 'Which accident have you seen?'

'The one with the sand flood, the growing wood and the last one, with all those earthquakes.'

'Hmm.' Was all Eriol said as he thought a while, about what he had just heard. 'You have a point there, although I have just the smallest idea of what is going on. I have to see it for myself first, and then I'll inform you. But most important:

_Do you think she is the cause behind all this?_'

Syaoran swallowed and looked at him with doubtful eyes. 'I'm not sure… But then again…'

'That means that you don't trust her, right? Can we trust her?'

'I guess… I can't trust her…'

xxxxx

Sakura heard those words, stopped listening, and jerked back from the two of them, away from those words.

_I can't trust her…_

Those four little words raced trough her mind. Syaoran… who she liked so much, maybe even loved, didn't trust her.

She walked a few steps backwards, and then turned around and ran away, passing her friends, who she didn't notice, through the school gates, and straight to her home.

_I can't trust her…_

Tears were streaming down her face, as she ran home. Her schoolbag was still on her back, and she grabbed it tightly, trying to ease the pain, holding on to at least _something_. Her skates were still lying in school, lost without the owner.

At home, she threw the front door open and ran to her room. She jumped on her bed, lying there to cry her heart out. She waked Kero with her wails, who was taking a nap. He hovered around her, trying to figure out what was wrong, but she didn't answer. She just cried and cried.

_I can't trust her…_

xxxxx

'I guess… I can't trust her…not until I know more about this. I… want to trust her, do trust her in some ways… I want to help her. Can you help me with that, Eriol?'

'Don't worry, I'll help you. I have a pretty good idea of what is going on, anyway.' Eriol said, reassuring Syaoran.

'You know, I thought I had seen that yellow stuffed animal before in one of our books. I have searched the library at home, but I couldn't find much, without one of the family members interfering. But I do know that creature has something to do with the Li-history.'

'I think you're right. I'll figure it out, don't worry. Call me when the same thing happens, okay? I'll will put my own senses on as well.'

Syaoran looked curious. 'You can put your senses out? For how long?'

Eriol sniggered. 'I'm less tired when I turn them off, just like a light. Have done it here for the entire time, but at your home, that is not save, with those witches running around.'

Syaoran laughed as well. 'Thank you, Eriol. I know everything will be alright, with the crooked "Sun God" on my side.' He joked.

They laughed both as they heard the bell and stood up. They walked to the doors, leading to school, when they saw Chiharu, Naoko, Takashi and Rika running up to them.

'Hey, guys! Wait!'

They waited, till the girls and Takashi were there. They looked a bit worried.

'What's wrong?' Eriol asked, a bit concerned seeing those looks.

Rika inhaled deeply one time, and then explained. 'We saw Sakura running away. She was crying and didn't even see us.'

Syaoran frowned. _What happened?_ 'Which way?

'Left… I think she went home.' Chiharu answered.

Syaoran was about to take off, when Eriol held him back. 'No, Syaoran. I don't think she wants to speak to anyone right now. Besides, Touya would be there before you could arrive, and then you won't even be allowed to come near the house within twenty miles.'

'Eriol…!' Syaoran growled.

Eriol held one hand up. 'I know, I know… not everything is about Touya. But I think we should let Tomoyo handle this. She is the one most close to Sakura.'

They looked around, finding… 'Where is Tomoyo?'

'She was here just a minute ago…' Naoko said.

Eriol still held Syaoran's arm, when they suddenly saw Touya passing the school on his bike. He looked really worried and went straight home. Every one gaped at him and Eriol mumbled something like 'I told you so.'

He let go of Syaoran, who looked worried at him. 'Do you think…?' _she heard us talking?_

Eriol thought a moment over this unfinished question, and then raised his shoulders. 'I don't know, I really have know idea. But it is possible.'

This only made Syaoran more worried.

xxxxx

Sakura still lay on her bed, when she heard her room door open with a bang. She looked up and found Touya standing there looking at her, his eyes filled with worry.

'Hell, I so hoped I was wrong about you crying.' He went over to her bed and took her in his arms, were she continued to cry.

When she silenced a bit, he asked her: 'What happened?'

It was quiet for a while, and then she mumbled. 'I'm sorry, nii-san. I can't tell, I have to figure this out myself.'

Touya hesitated a bit, and then nodded. He would speak with Yukito over this matter, and he would know what was best to do. 'Alright, have it your way. Do you want me to stay home?'

'No need. I'm just sad, it's not like I broke all my bones or something.' She tried to let it sound as a joke, but failed miserably.

'Okay, I'll make you some thee, and then I'll go back to work. I come back as soon as possible. Kero will look after you in the meantime, won't you Kero?'

'Of course.' The little creature said, as he looked worriedly at his mistress.

When Touya left the room, Kero pronounced: 'His bond with you is stronger then I thought. He could actually sense you were crying. He hasn't done that before…'

Sakura didn't look at him, but a faint smile crossed her lips. _There are three people who do trust me, at any time. Touya, Kero and Yukito or Yue._

Then a tear slipped down her face again.

_Trust is one of the most important feelings in live. _

_Without trust, friends don't exist._

_Without trust, love doesn't exist. _

_I guess it was just a dream…_

Sakura wondered for a moment. Would her other friends think the same way about her? Eriol didn't go against Syaoran's statement. _Or did he? I don't think I heard any word after those destroying ones…_

Maybe no one at school trusted her, maybe they only pretended to do so…

Maybe…

xxxxx

That night, Syaoran lay in bed, feeling a bit depressed.

Sakura hadn't returned to school that day, even left her precious roller-skates behind.

He still had the feeling it was all his fault, but then again, if she had really heard them talking, she wouldn't be _that _upset. What did he say that could have hurt that much?

_I can't trust her…_

Nah, that couldn't be it. He had said right after, that the he wanted to trust her, _and_ did trust her in ways, _and _wanted to help her. Together with Eriol, they would figure out and make everything right.

So maybe… maybe she didn't overhear them. Maybe it was something else.

_But what?_

_Damn! It wouldn't be so damned hard, if she wasn't this damned mysterious. _

He had already walked to the front door three times, but didn't go out looking for her, knowing Touya wouldn't allow it.

_It will only make things worse…_

He would talk to her tomorrow, in school. Knowing her, she probably wouldn't want to talk about it, if it concerned her home. But if not, she would talk about it, with a bit persuasion.

xxxxx

Eriol sat in his big chair, thinking things over.

He had really meant it, when he had said that he probably knew what was going on.

_But why now? I thought this wouldn't happen for another ten years…_

He cursed himself for not paying attention. He was here for three and a half years already, and if he was correct, this was going on _way_ longer then that.

_I should have known it, should have felt it…!_

But if his suspicions were correct, then one of her parents – who are both dead – had to be the other half of the reincarnation of Clow Reed.

_Well, if they are dead, then it's not so strange for me to not know…I think…_

He had to figure out the truth, _now…_!

As he sat upright, he summoned his precious Sun wand. The large wand, with a sun at the top, implicated his magical abilities. Bonking on the floor twice, he said: 'Spinel Sun, Ruby Moon, arise.'

From the floor, a creature quite equal to Kero in his large form but then blue, arose, and next to him, a human form with butterfly wings and long red hair.

'Let's go see the truth now.' He said mysteriously, as he transformed his clothes in a long black cloak and hat. They disappeared that instant …

… to reappear in a tree next to Sakura's house.

'Go my friends, and discover.' He said with his soft voice. Spinel and Ruby disappeared at once.

_Now all I can do, is concentrate, and find out the truth behind this strange person. _

xxxxx

Sakura bolted upright in bed, as she had just felt something… not right.

_Clow Reed…_

_How can Clow Reed be here? Am I getting another vision?_

But nothing happened. No strange predicts of the future, no vague memories of the past - hers or Clow Reeds.

_Maybe another joke?_

Clow Reed had visited her before, in her dreams, and she had experienced his crooked sense of humor.

Suddenly, she felt two more "beings" in her room. She couldn't see them, only feel, and it creped her out.

_G.g..gh…Ghosts!_

Her aura flamed up, protecting her, and suddenly they were gone: the beings and Clow Reeds presence.

'Eto… that wasn't a ghost…' Sakura mumbled as she walked to her window. Looking through it, she couldn't see anyone at all.

_What was that?_

She went back to bed, but it took her an hour to fell a sleep once more.

After she could forget the strange feelings in her room, she started thinking of Syaoran.

_He doesn't trust me, so he surely doesn't like me. He can't see me as a friend then, so he is faking everything. _

_If he can't trust me, I surely can't trust him. That means he is not a friend, and I can't possibly love him. _

_He is a stranger…_

_But he knows partly about the cards. I can't risk it all, by letting him tell everyone. He is a foe._

_Sadly enough… _

She fell in an uneasy sleep.

xxxxx

Eriol sat at home, once more.

It was getting late, but he couldn't get any sleep at all. He was wide awake.

He was trying to figure out what Sakura was doing, and he had surely figured out.

_I should have never let my powers sleep…_

The Card Mistress had arose, probably about eight to ten years ago, if he had counted the number of cards that she had already captured, right. He had felt it very clearly, when her aura flamed up.

As the half reincarnation of Clow Reed himself, it was Eriols task to guide the card master or mistress. Mistress apparently. That he hadn't known she was here, all this time, was a big flaw from his side.

It was to late now, to stand by her side. At least, openly. It was obvious that _something_ had happened, for he, Spinel and Ruby, had _all_ felt a strange wave coming from her. She stood almost alone, and didn't… well, didn't trust others anymore.

For him, to offer his help now of all times, would be a big mistake. She wouldn't believe him at all, and push him away. It would be better for him to help her from the sidelines and let his descendent try to renew her trust.

He blamed himself partly for Sakura's problems, as he had never known of it all. Being a card captor, without parents and all necessarily guides, alone with an overprotective brother, and apparently no trust anymore in whatsoever, has to be a really hard life to live. It was no wonder that she was so mysterious in front of her friends, that she never spoke of some things, and that she had no social life at all.

And now, he could understand Touya a bit more too. Taking care of his little sister, while she faces great danger every now or then, _had_ to make him overprotective. For Touya could probably never forgive himself, if he let anything happen to the only family he had left.

At least, that was what Eriol thought of it. But knowing him, he would probably be right.

Eriol decided, that in the morning, the first thing he would do, is explain Syaoran everything. Syaoran would remember the story of the card captors, as it was indeed a part of the Li-history. _And_ a part of the clan-rules, entrusted to him, Eriol, the reincarnation of Clow Reed…

He held his head in his hands as he groaned. _How could I have let it got this far? Yelen will be _so_ mad at me!_

That would probably be true as well. The Li-clan thought very highly of the Clow cards, and saw it as a part of the family. Now things _could_ have been taken care of, without to much problems and hard feelings, when Sakura had just become the card mistress.

But now, Sakura would never accept the rules, especially not in the state she was in now.

_I have _so_ fucked it up…! Will they be all mad at me in the end…?_ He wondered.

He had yet to see how things would work out, for even he, the one that was supposed to be so wise for his age and know almost everything, couldn't figure it out this time.

xxxxx

_Wai! Another chappie finished! Wai! Since when do I write this fast? Whahah I just have some extra free time on my hands XD_

_But if everything is going according to plan, then I will soon find a job and _boom_! There goes my free time…_

_Well, what did you think of it? Tell me please! I want reviews! Onegai!_

_XD_

_Pretty please?_

_Kawaii-animal_


	4. Trying So Hard To Hate Him

**Titel:** Trust

**Summary:** Sakura likes Syaoran, but convinced herself of the opposite, when she figures out, he doesn't trust her at all. While capturing the cards, and living her hard life, Syaoran has to seek the truth behind all the mess. SS ET R&R

**Disclaimer:** I don't own CCS. Even if I said I did, you wouldn't believe me anyway. Hell, I wouldn't even believe that myself, I'm not _that_ brilliant…! XD

Answering reviews:

**FlowerLover:** Eh… I don't know yet… haven't thought about it yet (eheh…) Besides, she has to capture every single card first… We'll see when the story continues, kej?

**Gwyn15:** Thank you! How did the permit test go? Hope it went well…!

**Kawaiiseeker987:** Thanx! _Sooo_ glad you thought it was touching! Wai, I'm so happy! XD

**CherryBlossom34:** Thank you! Thank you! I sure will!

_**Chapter four**_

_**Trying So Hard To Hate Him**_

'Syaoran, wait up!' Eriol called, as he ran at the silhouette that was supposed to be Syaoran. It was six in the morning, and both boys were going early to school for soccer training.

'Morning, Eriol… What's wrong? You look a bit pale to me.' Syaoran greeted his friend.

Eriol indeed looked pale, because of the lack of sleep the previous night. He had _way_ to many worries on his mind to take a nice long nap. He snorted. 'If your family wasn't this strict, I could have set aside all worries and sleep for maybe even a minute…'

Syaoran frowned. 'If _you_ are worried, then something very bad has to be going on. You're the most relaxed guy I ever met, you know.'

Eriol sighed deeply, and Syaoran softened his voice. 'Care to tell me?'

'Sure.' Eriol said. 'That's why I came today anyway… I am way to tired to play soccer today. Last night I summoned Ruby and Suppy to check out on your girl.'

'S…sh..she isn't my girl!' Syaoran interrupted, but Eriol didn't listen and continued his story.

'They went in her room, to search for clues, but she was able to sense us, and her aura flared in alarm. With that aura we felt all sorts of things. For example, I found the source of her power, and it was as I suspected… and feared.

It were the Clowcards, the one that Clow Reed had created to give an use to all of his powers. This means Sakura is the Card mistress, and the yellow creature that you saw, was Keroberos, Guardian of the Seal, and one of Sakura's protectors.'

Syaoran inhaled sharply. 'The Clowcards… That is not good news, now is it? Aren't the cards designed by Clow Reeds crooked mind, not being able to be used by anyone else then himself? Aren't they dangerous to capture?' He stomped himself on the head. 'Stupid question, of course it is dangerous.'

'You're right, they are dangerous. But Clow Reed had assigned a Card mistress for the future, when he had seen in a vision that the cards would scatter around. With her, he had created various protectors, of whom Keroberos is one.

The others are Yue, who I have yet to find, and the two reincarnations of Clow Reed himself. That's me and one of her parents, who are both dead. If only I wasn't so stupid to "turn off" my powers, I would have sensed her, and been able to help her from the beginning or at least since when we transferred to this town.

But now, that's to late…

What ever she heard, from us, or from someone else, she has lost her trust in everyone, except for Touya and Keroberos.'

Syaoran hung his had down. 'I don't know, Eriol. We didn't really said something wrong, did we? Listening to our entire conversation, it made pretty much sense.'

'Maybe she didn't hear the entire conversation, then. Oh, I don't know either…' Eriol answered. They were both silent for a while. They walked the usual route to the school, right now passing Tomoeda Elementary, on which lots of classmates had been to. The school were Rika's, much older, boyfriend was a teacher at.

An idea struck Syaoran. 'If you are one of the so-called protectors, and the Clowcards are a family-matter, then haven't you failed in your task?' he putted a finger on his chin, doubtful looking in the sky. 'I wonder what mother thinks of that…'

Eriol jerked back a bit, waving with his arms around him. 'Ah! No! Don't tell Yelen yet! I think she is going to kill me if she figures out!'

Dryly, Syaoran remarked 'If she doesn't do so, the elders surely will.' Seeing Eriol begging him not to tell, using the "puppy-dog-eyes-technique", made him see another site of him.

'I won't tell, of course not. But you're not acting as yourself Hiiragizawa Eriol. At least pretend that nothing is wrong, and the elders, nor my mother would suspect anything. Just pretend that you have everything under control, and that you know everything, like you normally do.'

Eriol eyebrows raised.

Syaoran hurried to continue 'And if they do figure out the appearance of the Card mistress, you can just say you had everything under control.'

Eriol nodded. 'I guess so. That is how I usually work when I'm not so sure about something.'

'You do _have_ everything under control, right? I mean, Sakura isn't in danger right now?'

'There is no danger right now, and there won't be if I can help it. Or you…' Eriol said honestly, escaping the first question.

'Alright then…'

They entered the schoolyard by now, but before going to change in the soccer outfits, Syaoran held Eriol back for a moment.

'One more thing. What would mother or the elders do with Sakura if they figure out?'

Eriol looked at his descendant, of whom he could see the worry clear in his eyes. He didn't want to tell him, but then again, if one of the options happened in the end, there would only be _another_ one that would be very angry with him.

'Various things. They could take her cards away, or betroth her to one of the family members, probably you. They would do everything possible to bring the cards in the Li-clan once more.'

Syaoran swallowed and went a bit pale. 'That means, that _if_ I gain her trust again, if she really lost that, that she would lose it immediately again, when I tell her this. And I surely can't keep it a secret from her.'

Eriol gave him a reassuring pinch on the shoulder, and then walked in the changing rooms, leaving Syaoran standing there, worried as hell.

xxxxx

Kero patted Sakura's shoulder, in attempt to wake her up. 'Sakura-chan! It's the second day of school already! Rise and shine!'

Sakura didn't budge and stayed asleep. 'Sakura! Oh, come on, Sakura-chan! I'm hungry!' Kero wailed.

'No, don't wanna…!' Sakura wailed sleepily at her little friend.

'Sakura-chan…'

Sakura looked up, hearing that sad voice of Kero. 'Alright! I'll go…' She said, getting up from her bed. She washed herself, putted her school uniform on, brushed her hair and walked downstairs.

She was certainly not as energetic as usual, and Touya frowned as his little sister came downstairs, without the usual noise. This way he couldn't even call her a kaijuu with reason…! 'Morning, shorty.' _Just another name instead, I guess…_

'Morning Touya!' She said in a fake happy voice.

Okay, so it didn't sound fake, but Touya knew her long enough to see through all her acts. _She is just trying to make _me_ feel alright, instead of herself…_

'Here, I made you breakfast. You should eat some, you still look a bit pale.' Touya remarked bluntly.

Sakura's face fell a bit. 'Hai, nii-san. What do you want for dinner tonight?' she tried to change the subject.

'Whatever you want. Yukito comes to eat, so make enough. We'll be here around seven.'

'Okay.'

While they ate their breakfast, they fell silent. Touya had no idea what to say anymore, for Sakura's cheerfulness was completely gone, and an eerie feeling entered the room.

xxxxx

Syaoran walked to the classroom, later then usual. Soccer training took longer then usual, and there for, he was almost late for his first class of this day. When he turned the corner before their classroom, he almost bumped into Sakura.

'Ohayo, Sakura.' Syaoran greeted, maybe a bit different then the regular greeting.

Sakura was looking down, as if she couldn't walk without looking at the ground. She didn't look at him, didn't say hello, or anything else. She had a smile on her face, but somehow, it seemed gloomy and eerie. Those two words just radiated from her, as cheerful as she pretended to be.

She walked into the class, taking seat at her regular chair, and didn't bother to greet the others.

Syaoran waited in the hall for a moment, trying to master the emotions running through him. _ She really has changed in a mere day. She lost trust in her friends…in me…in just a day, maybe even less then a day…_

He walked into the class, and saw his friends looking at him, motioning with their heads to Sakura, who sat in front of them, so she couldn't see it. He nodded barely noticeable, and sat directly behind Sakura, as usual.

Class began, but he couldn't focus at all, at least, not on what the teacher tried to tutor them. He decided that in the break, he had to talk to her, had to make sure what was going on. But somewhere, not so very deep inside, he already knew.

She had heard them, him and Eriol, talking. And somehow, that had made her in her present state of mind. He cursed himself. He had to make this up with her. He just had to.

xxxxx

It was break, and the current class where Syaoran was in, became empty. He hurried outside the class, to the class where Sakura was supposed to be. But when he got there, she was already gone.

Strange, for normally, she was the last to leave the room.

He hurried to search for her, but he couldn't find her. Not in the aula, not outside, not on all the spots where they used to be. Not even with the cherry blossom tree.

He mentally slapped himself. _Of course not there! There is where it all started in the first place. _

When he couldn't find her, he gave up for the moment, and joined his friends. They all looked at him, as if he had to explain something.

'Syaoran, tell us what's wrong with Sakura-chan?' Rika pleaded.

'Please Syaoran! Eriol is mean and doesn't want to tell!' Chiharu wailed.

'Hey! I don't know anything about it, that's what I said! Don't change my words.' Eriol grumbled back.

Syaoran was just about to say that he didn't know anything about it as well, when he was interrupted by an all to familiar voice.

'Li Syaoran, I need to talk to you.' Sakura said from behind them.

The group of friends was a bit startled. No one had see her approach them. Syaoran turned to see her. The smile she wore in the morning, had now disappeared. She just looked… well, empty.

'Sure.' He said, as he followed her away from the rest.

She led him to the roof, where there were no student at the moment.

xxxxx

Chiharu exchanged worried glances with Takashi, as Rika was pondering over a solution to make Sakura happy again. Naoko tried to cheer everyone up, and changed the subject.

'Oh, yes, Tomoyo! I was wondering, could you design…' Naoko looked around. Tomoyo had just been beside her a moment ago.

'Now, where did she go…?'

Eriol heard that, and suddenly his eyes grew large for a moment. He stood up, saying: 'I'll be right back.'

Naoko nodded and watched him run off in seemingly no specific direction.

xxxxx

They stood on the roof for a moment. It was cold, but Sakura didn't seemed to be affected by it. She didn't say anything for a moment, and Syaoran was about to begin the conversation himself.

'I need you to promise me something.' Sakura said before he could even begin to form a sentence in his mind.

'Sure. What is it?' he asked, wondering how he could let her understand what had happened, how he could let her explain a bit to.

'You have to be quiet about what you know about me. NO ONE may ever know about this. It's worse enough that you told Hiiragizawa already.' She turned to look at him, her eyes emotionless and cold at the same time.

'… I will make sure you regret it, if you do tell anyone. This goes for Hiiragizawa too.'

The sentence hung in the air for a moment. 'Well, do you promise?'

'On one condition.' Syaoran said, an idea forming in his head.

'You are not in the position to make the rules, Li.' Sakura bit back coldly.

He cringed a bit. _That hurts…_but he told her his condition anyway. 'Tell me… Why are you so mad? Why do you act this way? Is… is it my fault?'

Sakura looked at him and saw the emotion in his eyes. But she didn't budge. She walked those few steps, until she stood directly in front of him and…

…slapped him.

Hard…

'I despise you, Li, I hate you.' She growled.

'I trust you to keep your promise, Li!' She laughed a bit without humor and mumbled: 'I guess I just picked the wrong word on that sentence…'

She walked away from him, off the roof, downstairs, where he was sure he couldn't find her again.

Syaoran put his hand on his cheek. It burned a bit. She had really hit him hard, but that was not the thing that hurt him the most.

_She will never call my name again…_

_She won't laugh at me anymore…_

_She will never look at me with those beautiful eyes ever again…_

_She despises me…_

_Hates me…_

_What have I done?_ He questioned himself. The truth was, he was not really sure _what_ he had done. He _had _explained everything in the conversation with Eriol, and it wasn't that bad what he had said. _Maybe she hated me from the beginning, and only showed it today, because we know of her secret._

_But then why did she cry yesterday?_

xxxxx

Sakura sat in a quiet place in the schoolyard. She had found this place in her first year here, and she sat here often when she needed to be alone, to think or to study. It was a beautiful place in the summer, but now it was gloomy, just the same as she felt. Hidden from the main yard, this little field was never visited, not even by the school-gardener. It was wild, and in the spring and summer, it had lots and lots of flowers.

Here, no one would disturb her, and here, she was crying her heart out.

_Slap…_

She had slapped him, for such a lousy reason.

_I despise you, Li, I hate you._

It was such a blunt thing to say, such a big lie.

_I hate myself now…_

That came more to the truth.

But what else could she have done? She was on the edge of a mayor breakdown, and she couldn't do that in front of him. She defended herself, by letting him think that she hated him, that she despised him. More important, she had defended her cards.

She had made herself angry, so she wouldn't break down, and hit him, so he wouldn't notice the threat of tears in her eyes.

At that moment she had almost convinced herself to really hate him.

But she just _couldn't_ do that.

For all those years, she had admired him, liked him and even loved him.

_A lack of trust doesn't change these feelings in the opposite direction. It takes much more to hate him, if that is possible. _

_I don't hate him, I'm just very angry with him, can't even trust him anymore. _

_But! Although I can't say I hate him, I surely don't love him anymore…! Heck, I don't even like him anymore!_

This is what she was saying to her own mind, as tears still streamed down her face. But she was sure, that no matter how much it hurt, this was the right thing to do. And besides, it was already the past, it couldn't be undone anyhow.

The cards were save for the moment, Syaoran and Eriol wouldn't talk, that she knew for sure. It was just, that she made her own problems worse. If Syaoran ever saw her as a friend, he sure wouldn't see her as that anymore. It wouldn't surprise her if he hated her now.

_I lost him forever, and I did that all by myself…_

xxxxx

Eriol had walked away from the aula, trying to sense the aura of Tomoyo. He picked it up, as it was very strong at the moment, as if she was very emotional right now. He followed the sense of her aura, until he saw her.

His jaw dropped for a moment when he realized what she was doing, and what she probably has done for as long as she had been going to this school.

He closed it and then sniggered. _Mystery solved! I guess I still have a chance with her in the end. This could be interesting…_

He created a magical strand and placed it between his own aura and hers. Now he would always know where she was. He turned and left her there, so she wouldn't notice yet, that he knew her secret.

_Very interesting indeed…_

xxxxx

It was already evening, and Syaoran sat at home. He didn't feel all to well.

He didn't ate anything, let the phone ring without answering, and was just being depressed. He had to sort out his own thoughts, if he wanted to get over this, over her.

He didn't really notice what happened around him, and was quite surprised when suddenly Meilin stood in front of him.

'Syaoran! What's wrong with you? I called you many times, and even rang the doorbell twice! I'm so glad I have a key to your house, or else you never let me in!' Meilin whined.

Syaoran looked up, to meet his cousins eyes, and saw them change from angry to extremely worried.

'Syaoran! What happened? You… you look awful! I heard you skipped school after lunch, why? What happened! Syaoran, answer me!'

'It isn't of your concern, Meilin. Please leave me for the moment. I need to think.'

'What? But Syao…'

'Now, Meilin!' Syaoran interrupted, his voice filled with power.

She snorted. 'Fine! But I'll come by in the morning, before school, to see if you're alright. And don't even think about going against that!' She screeched.

'Whatever, just go now… I'll see you tomorrow.' Syaoran said calmly, which agitated Meilin even more, as he knew. She turned around and walked out of the room, closing the door with a bang.

Syaoran sighed and went to that thinking state again.

It was already past midnight, when he came to his senses.

He had decided.

_If Sakura hates me that much, then it can't be helped. I'll leave her alone, and don't bother her ever again. _

_Except, when she needs my help, or if she is in danger, I will be there for her nonetheless. I will always be by her side, but she won't see me anymore, except for classes. _

_And most important, I will never ever do anything of any sort behind her back, concerning her, ever again._

_That's right…_

_I still love her…!_

xxxxx

**Wai! That was difficult to write… I thought I had finished it, but I forgot some things… so wheelp, I had to change some parts…**

**But all well now, this chapter is finished! Wai!**

**Oh, and forgive, but updating will go slowly, from now on. You see, I have found a job (wai) but it's six days a week, from 10.30 till 21.00 at least… so I have really not much time on my hands anymore! But don't worry, I won't abandon this fic, not in this life time!**

**I'll just work extra hard! Wai for me!**

**Wai!**

**Thank you for the reviews! I really really** **really** **really** **really** **really** **really** **really** **really** **really** **really** **really** **appreciate it! Really…!**

**So you can review again with this chapter…! Heheh the more reviews, the harder I work, the sooner I'll update… heheh**

**That's so evil… but hey, that's just me XD**

**Kawaii-animal**


	5. Who are our allies?

**Titel:** Trust

**Summary:** Sakura likes Syaoran, but convinced herself of the opposite, when she figures out, he doesn't trust her at all. While capturing the cards, and living her hard life, Syaoran has to seek the truth behind all the mess. SS ET R&R

**Disclaimer:** noooooo I don't own CCS, of course!

Answering reviews:

**FlowerLover:** whaha… what would she be doing… whaha Like I'm gonna tell you that! Just read for now, and you'll figure out soon enough…. XD

**Ohohen:** hehe. Try as much as you want, I certainly don't mind! And thank you!

**Gwyn15:** Congratulations! And thank you for liking my story so much! Wai!

**May: **I'm updating as fast as I could, but it is really hard to find the time now, so please have patience! But thank you for wanna know what will happen! Wai!

_**Chapter Five**_

_**Who are our allies?**_

Syaoran woke up early that morning, fully awake by the sound of a certain person running through the house. He groaned, as he sat upright, waiting until Meilin would storm into his sleeping room.

He didn't have to wait long.

'Syaoran! Wake up! I've made you breakfast, so hurry up and eat it!' Meilin screamed happily, while she was holding a plate with something that she called a breakfast. She planted it on his lap, and he stared at it, wondering if he could somehow_ pretend_ to eat it, instead of really _eating_ it. It looked _really _horrible.

But looking at Meilin, he knew that she had put all her effort in it, and that she actually knew this meal wasn't the best. So he focused on something else, and ate it slowly, not thinking about the taste.

When he was finally finished, Meilin wanted an explanation about his condition the day before,_ after_ she checked him four times over, to see if he was okay this time.

'I'm really okay, Meilin! Stop touching me!' he said after the second time, but she didn't stop until she was really really sure, that he was really really okay.

'So tell me, what happened?' Meilin asked in a demanding voice.

'Meilin, do you really have to ask? You know pretty well, that I'm not going to tell you that anyway.' Syaoran said. But though he sounded determined for not telling her anything, she continued nonetheless.

'I really _do_ have to ask, since you are not telling it to me willingly! And you are _so_ going to tell me what happened! For God's sake, Syaoran! We're betrothed, you should trust me!'

He snorted and said: 'Betrothed, eh?'

Meilin grew angry. 'Yes we are betrothed! Don't say we are not, don't even _think_ we are not!' She wined.

Raising his hands in a I-give-up position, Syaoran quickly spoke, before Meilin would probably really cry. 'I didn't say we weren't! If I have to marry someone, I might as well marry you…'

Meilin's face fell now. 'Wh…what do you mean? Since when do you accept this? What about… Sakura?'

Syaoran looked at her, and she could see the pain in his eyes. 'I'm not accepting it, and I'm not promising anything to you. But Sakura certainly isn't an option anymore.' He paused for a moment. 'Ehm… Since when do you know about that? I never told you that… that…'

'Hehe…' Meilin sweat dropped a bit. 'That was quite obvious. I know you for my entire life, I know when you like someone else.'

She sat beside him, and pulled him into her arms. 'So you lost her, didn't you?'

Syaoran nodded weakly in her arms, afraid, as always, to show his weaker emotions.

'It's okay, Syao-kun, you may cry.' Meilin voice reached his ears, and somehow, he couldn't hold back tears anymore. He cried in her arms, holding on to her like he was losing his life.

He cried for about an hour, and somehow, it felt good. He had never cried before, except that time, so long ago, when his father died. After that tragic moment, he never wanted to cry again, because he linked the crying from back then, to the pain he felt of losing his father. He was little, and so he thought, that if he didn't cry anymore, he wouldn't feel the pain again. When he grew older, he knew that it didn't work like that, but he didn't cry nonetheless.

When the tears ceased, it was almost time to go to school, and Meilin helped him to let the track of tears disappear. They walked to school together, not talking anymore. There was a deep silence, a comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts.

Syaoran secretly thanked Meilin, for not forcing herself on him, but instead of that, helping him, letting him cry.

Meilin's thoughts were following a much deeper road, as she sorted out her own feelings.

xxxxx

School was the same as usual, except for the fact that there was an eerie atmosphere. The teachers felt it, but pretended that nothing was wrong. Sakura avoided the others, and somehow managed to disappear constantly. The group of friends didn't laugh as much anymore, though some just tried to forget it all, and to make a bit more cheerful days.

Sakura went home earlier, never lingering behind anymore. Her face still looked empty, emotionless. When she had to talk to someone, like one of the teachers, she put on her fake smile again, which fooled most of them.

Syaoran hardly smiled, tried his best not to look at her, and avoid her. Avoiding her wasn't so hard, for she avoided him as well. He was very occupied, and didn't sleep often. He and Eriol researched the Li-clan library, to find more about the Clowcards, which cards still had to show themselves, their whereabouts and their strengths and weaknesses.

The days flew by, and before they knew it, a week had passed.

Strangely enough, in the middle of a math exam, they felt the power of another Clowcard. It was still weak, but it startled Syaoran and Eriol, who both couldn't imagine a worse moment.

Sakura looked up for a moment, her forehead frowning, her eyes concentrating, and then she continued to finish her math test.

This surprised the boys even more, who thought she would go after the card, but apparently, her math test was more important.

Syaoran and Eriol where, as was expected, the first to finish the test, and leave the room. The both ran to the place where they had felt the Clowcard, observing it and waiting for Sakura to come. Syaoran remarked that it was the Penguin Park, _again_.

It took her a while to come, it was obvious that she took her time for the exam. She ran into the forest, in a straight line to the not jet expecting card. Suddenly, she stopped, turned around as she had just passed them, and yelled: 'Go away, Li, Hiiragizawa! I have told you two to leave me alone!'

She ran further, as Eriol played a little trick with their aura's. For Sakura, it seemed as they were both leaving the forest, as she tried to sense their aura's. They both hid their real aura and silently followed Sakura deeper into the forest.

When she stopped again, their eyes grew a bit, seeing where they had been led to.

The scenery had changed completely. Where there was a forest a moment ago, there lay a wide stretched field of flowers before them. It seemed endless, and Syaoran whispered to Eriol. 'I didn't know there was a place like this in Tomoeda.'

'There isn't, if I'm correct.' He responded.

They saw Sakura running into the field, summoning her wand. They stayed in the forest, so she couldn't see them. But this did mean that they couldn't hear anything that happened there.

Strangely enough, nothing specific happened, or at least they couldn't see it. But Sakura obviously did saw something, for she was wielding her wand as a sword, swinging it at nothing in particular. Her face showed fear, and tears streamed freely from her eyes.

This went on for a moment, until she stopped and closed her eyes. The field disappeared slowly, changed in something else, whirling around Sakura. She called on one of her cards – they couldn't tell which one – and another whirl appeared. The whirls whirled around each other, until the last one won. Sakura raised her wand again, and shouted something. The first whirl changed shape again, this time in the form of a card, which flew directly to Sakura. She took it, and called the other card back.

It all seemed fine, but then Sakura fell down.

Syaoran and Eriol came a bit closer, still hiding their aura's, to help her if she needed that. She was breathing heavily, the wand changed into a key, and she just lied there for a moment. At that moment, Keroberos came, still in it's small form.

'Sakura! Are you alright?' He asked worriedly.

'Do I _look_ alright?' She snapped. 'Where have you been? The card appeared more then an hour ago!' She sighed deeply as she saw Kero shrink under her harsh words. 'I'm sorry, Kero. It's just that I've seen some things I didn't want to see.'

'It's okay. Which card was it?' Kero tried to sound normal, but you could hear in his voice that he didn't liked to be spoken to, in that way.

'The Illusion.'

'Ah… then you have the right to be angry.' Kero's irritation disappeared completely, and worry grew once more. 'It's a dangerous card. You have to tell me, what have you seen?'

Sakura looked up at her little friend, not planning to talk. But seeing his serious and worried face, she knew it was important for him. 'First Mom and dad. At the moment they died, but ten times worse. At least, I think… I've never known how they died exactly. And then… Syaoran…' She swallowed hard. 'I killed him!' Tears streamed down her face now.

'It's okay, Sakura-chan. It's not real! The Illusion doesn't show you forecasts of the future, or something like that. It only shows you the things you fear, not the things that you might do in the future!'

'I know, I know! I hope so… But it seemed so real!' Sakura sounded really desperate.

Kero changed in his larger form, and gave her a big hug, while she dug her fingers in his fur. 'Come, lets go. Touya must be worried. His present chief doesn't let him go so easily.' Sakura nodded, as she climbed on his back. Kero flew away, carrying Sakura gently.

Syaoran and Eriol stayed behind, both not saying a word. After a few minutes, Syaoran finally spoke.

'Kill me, eh?' He had a relinquished kind a look on his face, like he didn't care at all. This startled Eriol.

He put an hand on his friends shoulder for comfort. 'Like Keroberos said, it didn't mean anything. She feared it. This means she absolutely does not want to kill you!' Eriol used firm words, but Syaoran didn't believe his friend that quickly.

'Eriol, we have read about The Illusion in the books. It only shows you things that were already playing in your mind. This means she _has_ thought about it. _Did_ think about _killing me_! That is something to worry about, now isn't it?'

'You don't look worried…' Eriol remarked dryly. But then became serious again. 'Look. That she thought about it, doesn't mean anything. When she figured out you didn't trust her anymore, I'm not surprised that she was _very_ angry, and thought something like "_I'm gonna kill that guy!_" or something like that. You see? It doesn't have to mean anything.'

Syaoran still didn't looked convinced.

'Besides, you saw her tears. She can't possibly convince me of her wanting to kill you. No chance…'

Syaoran sighed. 'Maybe… you're right.'

'Of course I am. I'm always right.'

Syaoran raised a brow, as Eriol quickly turned around and mumbled something like: 'It's time to go…'

xxxxx

The time flew by. Mizuki, a good friend from Touya and their parents, celebrated her birthday, in the second week of February. It was nice for Sakura to get out again and forget all for a moment.

Mizuki though, did realize that something was wrong, and gave Sakura some well meant, not understood advises. Sakura thought she would figure out the meaning of those, at the right time, or to late, as usual.

Before the end of February, two more cards appeared, - The Sword and The Fight - and Syaoran and Eriol were both there to look after Sakura, in case that was needed. Both times, Touya came in the end, for he wasn't allowed to get near Sakura in the middle of the fight – Sakura's orders – and Kero was late as usual.

It made everyone worry, that the cards appeared this often, instead listening to the regular one-card-in-one-or-two-months-rule. Eriol thought, this happened because of the fact that one of the last protectors had appeared – himself – which supposed to make it easier to capture the cards.

Sakura, Kero and Touya, of course, didn't hear Eriol saying this, and were just completely worried.

Touya's birthday came and went, and the days grew harder for Sakura. Syaoran avoided her, and that bothered her a lot, even though she avoided him as well. He never did anything, and she wondered why.

He didn't show on which side he was, hers or not hers, to put it simply. He didn't help her, although she knew that he and Eriol had witnessed at least two captures. But he didn't stop her either. He never made advantage of the knowledge of her being the Card Captor.

And most strangely from all, he never questioned her and he even stood up for her.

To give a short and simple example, with brainstorming for one of the festivals activities in the summer, Sakura had an idea, which wasn't _really_ appreciated by the rest of the class. And somehow, she found Syaoran standing up for her, adding some things to the idea – although he had to think very hard to come up with something - until everyone agreed. And most strange of all, he still gave all the credit to her. _Without looking at her direction for even a second_.

More cards came, The Shot, The Freeze, and The Power, and Sakura captured them all. Somehow, it seemed as if the cards stopped getting more difficult to catch. That wasn't the case though. Sakura caught them with more will power then before. Capturing the cards was one of the only things she still liked to do, and she putted all her energy and emotions in it. This frightened the cards _a lot_.

The group of friends, except for Sakura of course, had a double party for Eriols and Meilin's birthday. This was chance for all of them to laugh again, and especially Meilin put lots of effort in it, to make the best of it.

It saddened Sakura enormously, because her birthday was just a few days after theirs, and normally, this was one of those exception on the rules. On this time, all her friends were allowed to get to her house, and celebrate all three birthdays at the same time in one big party.

This year was a lonely birthday. Touya, Yukito, Kero and the cards tried to make the best of it, but it didn't work. On a certain moment, Sakura locked herself up in her bedroom, crying her tears out.

Because when she entered her bedroom, to close the window – it was raining outside – she found a little present on her windowsill. It was a single cherry blossom flower, with a note attached to it, reading: _I'm sorry_

_Where did he get the flower from?_ Was the first thought running through her mind. A stupid question, who cared? But somehow that was the only thing she thought at that moment.

But then, she felt tears streaming down her face. She held the flower close to her heart, as she allowed herself to cry. It was very clear to her, that this little thing came from Syaoran.

_What is he sorry for?_

_Sorry for what he said?_

_Sorry for what he did to me?_

_Sorry for not trusting me?_

_Syaoran…_

_Why…?_

xxxxx

Syaoran walked home through the streaming rain. It was cold, but he forgot his coat. He felt terrible, guilty, sorry, and all that kind of feelings. It was Sakura's birthday, and he couldn't do anything. He went walking, just to clear his thoughts, when he had thought of something.

A present, just as they gave with Christmas, but then different. He ran to school, just to get one of the many cherry blossoms petals, hanging from his favorite tree. He picked out a large one, and quickly wrote a note.

As he had done every Christmas, he went to her windowsill, to put the flower there. She obviously didn't suspect anything, for the window was still open. When he left, he tried to feel better, but he hardly did. And to make it worse, it even began to rain…

xxxxx

Sakura had a headache from al that crying, but she went to school nonetheless. She silently observed Syaoran, at the moments he didn't see her, and she tried to figure him out.

Without results of course…

Syaoran never showed a sign that showed that he indeed, had put the flower there. He just avoided her, was silent and calm, as usual.

Sakura almost forgot that they knew her secret, and started to silently think of the options of them being on her side after all. But all those thought disappeared into nothing, when she recalled his phrase: '_I don't trust her…_'.

The days didn't go so fast anymore. The cards came even sooner – one every two days – and she captured Firey and Storm, with the usual sufferings.

After a day of rest, the next card, the Thunder, came. This card was a bit more difficult, and Syaoran and Eriol secretly helped her when a tree was about to fall on top of her, without her knowing that.

Well, they might think that she didn't know, but she was very aware of the fact that they saved her, or at least helped her in some way. But she didn't show that to them, because somehow, she got the feeling that they wanted it to be a secret for her.

But this made Sakura decide something. Syaoran, and Eriol of course, weren't that bad. Somewhere, something went terribly wrong between the three of them, and now, she couldn't figure out who's fault this was to begin with. Her former friends had nothing to do with it, but they choose Syaoran's side, because Sakura was strange enough without all those extra problems. But she couldn't blame them, though, for doing so.

All together, they were in a strange situation. They had reached the point where nothing was certain. Everyone had doubts, and though it didn't make anything better, Sakura saw it as the beginning of the solution.

xxxxx

Meilin was sure now. There was only one thing to do, and that was exactly what she was going to do now. She walked towards her goal as fury raised in her chest.

xxxxx

Tomoyo was busy, as usual. She had discovered something, and she was pretty sure, she was the only one that was aware of that little fact. So she hastened herself to find Sakura, for she was the one that needed to know this. As always, Sakura was hard to find. But then again, Tomoyo never had any trouble finding her.

xxxxx

Syaoran and Eriol walked together, in the schoolyard, but Syaoran was not very cheerful.

'Alright, spill it out…' Eriol said dryly.

'Meilin is up to something!' Syaoran said in angry voice.

'So?'

'Every time when she is doing so, it means something not very positive is going to happen.'

'So?'

'Most of the times it involves me…'

'Ah.'

Syaoran looked angry at his so called friend. 'No 'Ah.', Eriol. It's probably serious. Last time I broke my leg!'

'Well, you did deserve that, you know.' He remarked dryly. 'If you're so worried, then why don't we look for her, and prevent any trouble?'

Syaoran frowned a bit. 'That usually also ends up in trouble.'

'I know, just show the way, okay?' Syaoran was very sure he saw an evil spark in Eriols eyes, but nodded nonetheless and leaded the way, following his cousins aura.

xxxxx

Sakura was in her secret place in the schoolyard, trying to relax. It was very silent, the rest of the school was to far off to hear. She lay flat on the ground, arms spread, staring at the clouds that were partly visible between the trees.

She was startled when she suddenly heard a voice.

xxxxx

**Okay, no excuses… just an idiotic late update… **

**Thanx for the reviews though! Yokatta!**


	6. Emotional Confessions

**Titel:** Trust

**Summary:** Sakura likes Syaoran, but convinced herself of the opposite, when she figures out, he doesn't trust her at all. While capturing the cards, and living her hard life, Syaoran has to seek the truth behind all the mess. SS ET R&R

**Disclaimer:** noooooo I don't own CCS, of course!

Answering reviews:

**FlowerLover:** whaha, you're so funny… just read to find out:P

**Clocerluck11: **Thanks for the advise, I really appreciate that, but can you please explain a little more about the be-verbs thing? 'Cause I don't really understand… hehe… :S So Nothing about that has changed in this chapter, but if you explain next time, then I will make sure to avoid it :)

**Meika-chan:** whahaha, thank you!

**Shyblossom: **Thanx! It's good to hear :)

_**AN: What is Tomoyo up to anyway? **_

_**Chapter Six**_

_**Emotional Confessions**_

Sakura was in her secret place in the schoolyard, trying to relax. It was very silent, the rest of the school was to far off to hear. She lay flat on the ground, arms spread, staring at the clouds that were partly visible between the trees.

She was startled when she suddenly heard a voice.

'Kinomoto!'

She sat upright and was standing in less then a second, a bit surprised about the fact that it was Meilin who yelled her name so harshly.

'What the hell do you think you're doing?' Meilin shouted, still on her way to Sakura, who wondered how Meilin had found this place at all.

Sakura looked quite dumbfounded, but that didn't stop Meilin.

xxxxx

Tomoyo was searching for Sakura, and it surprised her that she came at the same time as Meilin did at Sakura's secret hiding spot. She saw Meilin coming towards Sakura – really pissed off – and Sakura, as usual, had no idea what this was about.

Tomoyo didn't know what to do now. She was doubting to go there, and tell Sakura what she had figured out, or stay here, to see what was going to happen.

I guess it isn't so strange for her to choose for the last option.

So she hid behind one of the bushes, not knowing she was already discovered by a certain someone.

xxxxx

Sakura stood stiff and defensive in front of Meilin, who was obviously up to something. She had yet to figure out what that something was.

'You have to learn a little lesson, Kinomoto! Do you have any idea what you've done to Syaoran?' Meilin screamed.

It was good that they had this fit _away_ from the rest of the school grounds, although Sakura wasn't so sure anymore that no one could here Meilin, for her voice was very loud and high.

Sakura was about to open her mouth, when she saw Syaoran and Eriol running up to them, hearing what Meilin was yelling.

Meilin didn't notice and still came closer to Sakura, grabbing the front of her coat, towering over her. 'You have hurt him! Don't you even know that he l…!'

Meilin was rudely cut off when Syaoran and Eriol covered her mouth and pulled her of Sakura. 'Meilin, what are you doing, be quite for gods sake! Not everyone needs to hear you!' Eriol said harshly, very un-Eriol like.

Syaoran on the other hand wasn't worried about that. 'You're not doing what I think you are, are you Meilin?' He gave her the dead glare, and Meilin shrunk a bit, wondering how mad he really was this time.

But she stood up for him, nonetheless. 'I am doing so, probably! And I have the right. She doesn't even realize what she has done! No one else has ever made you c…' Her mouth was covered once again.

'No one needs to know that, Meilin, I still have a bit pride in me! Besides, she hasn't done anything, I'm still the one to blame.'

Meilin shook his hands off of her, and retorted: 'How can you blame yourself, you don't hurt yourself on purpose, do you?'

Syaoran was about to answer that, when suddenly, Sakura spoke. 'Stop! _What_ are we talking about, anyway? Did Syaoran got hurt?'

The expression on Sakura's face was priceless, as dense as she was at times, with true worry written in her eyes. While Syaoran sweat-dropped, and Eriol sniggered a bit, Meilin spat at her. '_Mentally!_ You hurt him _mentally_! You have dumped him, just like that!' and she snapped with her fingers.

Now Sakura grew a bit angry to. 'How can I dump him, when he wasn't mine to begin with!' she spat back. 'Besides, _they_ are the ones who pushed _me_ away!' and she pointed her finger to the two boys, who were both sweat-dropping now, a bit confused where this discussion would lead them. (Eriol muttered something like 'You're right, we shouldn't have interfered. It really is dangerous…', while Syaoran just nodded.)

'They did not!'

'They did! They are the ones who said they didn't trust me! Syaoran literally said that he didn't trust me!'

That remark was the cause of a silent gap in the group. Meilin wanted to retort, but didn't know what to say. Sakura had just closed her mouth quickly, for she didn't really wanted to say that out loud.

And Syaoran, well… Syaoran finally knew what had caused all this, although he still didn't fully understand it.

Finally, Syaoran spoke.

'What do you mean? I never said that. The only time I did that, I explained it afterward.'

'You did not.' Sakura had tears in her eyes now, and looked a bit confused. 'I overheard your conversation with Eriol. You knew what I did, during the so called catastrophes. And only because of that, you didn't trust me. And you know now, don't you? You know what the catastrophes are, what my job is. I've have seen you both at least seven times during the captures of the Clow cards. You didn't trust me, so you just had to watch me struggling, so I didn't do anything wrong!'

Meilin eyes shined with realization as she spoke. 'You're wrong, you know.' Her voice was softer this time. 'They don't trust you, because you are an official enemy. I didn't even know, but they sure did. They recognize the Card mistress, and the reason why they are here, is because of that. You see the Clow Cards officially belong to the Li-clan, and it is our job to take them back.'

You can call that the ultimate revenge from Meilin, who was still angry at Sakura for hurting her not really official fiancée. Sakura couldn't utter a word, and before Syaoran and Eriol could launch themselves on Meilin to shut her up, tears streamed down Sakura's face, and she ran away, right through the bushes, in a straight line away from them.

Meilin started with a look of triumph on her face, but that soon faltered as she saw Syaoran, who was literary blazing from anger… anger towards her. 'Well, it's true, right?' she tried, but to no avail.

Luckily for her, Eriol was still there. He held Syaoran back, before he could hurt Meilin very badly. Instead of that Syaoran ran after Sakura. Meilin wanted to thank Eriol for doing so, but shut her mouth after the first word, seeing the look Eriol gave her.

She knew for sure, she was better of with Syaoran wanting to kill her, than with Eriol in this state…

But she was very lucky on this most unfortunate day of her life, for then Tomoyo stepped out from behind the bushes, saving her from Eriols wrath.

'Tomoyo…' Meilin said. Looking at what Tomoyo held in her hands, she frowned and asked: 'What…? You didn't… you _did!_ _All of it?_'

Tomoyo choose not to speak to her, and although there lay a smile on her face, her eyes flashed with anger. 'Eriol-kun, we better go after them. I have the prove for Sakura, is she doesn't believe it.'

'I believe you do, indeed.'

'Please lead the way.'

Eriol and Tomoyo left in the same direction Sakura and Syaoran had gone to before, leaving Meilin alone behind, who felt very, _very _guilty.

xxxxx

Sakura ran, and… well, ran. She stopped crying a while ago, having no more tears left. It seemed she was crying a lot these days.

In the strange triangle conversation with Meilin and Syaoran, she finally saw the clearing of these past dark days, but it had just become darker again. Instead of not trusting her, it was even worse, he was her enemy. And that was a _lot_ worse.

_How could I think that it was a stupid misunderstanding from both sides…?He didn't misunderstand at all, he was after the cards all along…I'm the fool here, I should have never trusted him to begin with…_

While she was running, she didn't really realize that it had become darker, every second. She stopped when it was pitch dark, and she got scared. _Since when…?_

She concentrated for a moment, and was a bit relieved that she felt the presence of a Clow card. Not that she wanted to fight a Clow card now, she was most definitely not in the mood for that.

She walked further, trying to locate where she was. Had it just become dark, or had she been sent to another dimension? She didn't trip over anything, so she figured it was the latter.

The darkness was creeping her out, and all she could think of was the betrayal of Syaoran, and Eriol and Meilin too. She was alone now, there wasn't anyone here… Kero and Touya could probably not find her here, she truly was alone. Her friends al choose the side of the Li-clan, so they wouldn't find her either. The Li-clan… They wanted to steal her cards, her precious cards. Her cards were her life, how could they try to take it away from her? They sure only thought of themselves, or at least not about her. No one cared about her. If they did, she wouldn't be in this situation, now would she?

And as her thoughts turned darker, and more negative, her surroundings became darker as well. The blackness disappeared, and instead of that, there was just nothing. An emptiness, that only made her more depressive.

_Soon there won't be anything here for me anymore…I'll probably end up killing Syaoran anyway…Or so the cards showed me…_

xxxxx

Syaoran ran in a straight line after her, following her aura.

He cursed himself. He should have gone after from the first moment, when all this mess had started. He had no idea how he could gain her trust again. _If only Meilin had held her big mouth… curse her too. _At the moment he was really _really_ mad at her. He could have explained everything to Sakura, on a calm way, so she wouldn't freak out like that, but that was to late now. Now he just had to find her, and try to explain everything to her.

_If only I can make her listen to me…_

As he ran further, he noticed the sky becoming darker, until he ran in the pitch blackness of a night with no stars. And it became darker every moment, until he couldn't see anything at all. Focusing on her aura, he ran on, until he reached her.

Her aura at that moment, had already reached a very low level, meaning she was very depressed. He found her lying curled up in her own embrace on the ground. Muttering some unheard words. It was strange though, he could see her, while the rest wasn't visible.

He sat on his knees beside her, and put an hand on her shoulder. 'Sakura…?' She cringed at his touch, but did open her eyes to look at her. It was written in her eyes that she was scared to dead.

Without thinking, he gathered her in his arms, and pulled her in his lap. And without thinking, Sakura put her arms around his neck, and her head on his shoulder, so she couldn't see the darkness around her, only the color of his sweater.

The green color fascinated her somehow, and calmed her down. Syaoran held her so tight and careful at the same time, that she actually felt quite comfortable. She snuggled a bit closer as she held on to him, for her dear life. His hand on her head felt right, and secretly she wished she could stay for a long time like this.

'Sakura…' Syaoran started, although he had no idea what to say, so he just said everything he wanted to say, and came to his mind at that moment.

'I do trust you, I really do, and have always done and always will.' She stiffened a bit in his arms, listening carefully to the words he tried to say. 'I'm sorry, if you thought I didn't. I'm sorry, that you still have no reason to trust me. And I'm sorry, for all the pain I caused you. I really am sorry for everything that I did to you.

But please believe me, I am not here to steal your cards. I can't possibly take away from you, what you love most. I don't want to…'

Tears started to flow once again on Sakura's face, as she listened to his words, which were sounding so emotional and honest.

'But I don't want to lie to you, so listen carefully, to the reason why Meilin said what she did. The Li-clan thinks they are the ones who own the Clowcards, and they want to have them at all costs. Eriol, now, is assigned to locate the Clow master or mistress, that would be you, to take the cards and return them to the Li-clan. That's because Eriol is one of the guardians of the card captor, together with Keroberos and Yue. He is the half reincarnation of Clow Reed himself, and therefore, the Li elders entrusted that task to him. But Somehow, Eriol thought that you wouldn't appear for another ten years, so he locked away his power, and never realized that the cards already had appeared.

If he had realized, then you wouldn't be the card mistress now, and then he had assigned that task to himself, or to me, and then the Li-clan and you would both be satisfied. But it didn't go like that. The moment you listened to our conversation, was the moment, when Eriol figured it out. Too late, but okay…

It was not that we didn't trust you, it was that we didn't know for certain that you were the card mistress or not, so we choose to be a bit careful. When we knew for sure, we went along on all your missions, to be there when you needed help. We didn't openly follow you, because we knew you didn't want that. Eriol followed you because he _is_ your guardian after all, and I… well, I just care to much for you to let you in the hands of only Eriol, and a certain yellow stuffed animal who is always to late.

But besides that, the Li elders still want the cards, although they don't know yet that they have appeared. None of the options for them, is good for you, so I suggest that you hide from them, hide your powers and cards, so they wont find you. And if they do, you have to run. You understand that?'

Sakura sniffed a bit, and then sat upright, to look him in the eyes. 'If they figure out I have the cards, wont they sent you and Eriol to capture me?'

'Probably, but I'll will cover you, and so will Eriol. We will make something up.'

Sakura blushed a bit. 'Does this mean, you actually do care a bit for me?'

Syaoran couldn't help but blush as well. 'No, not a bit. I care for you, more then anything in the world.' He saw Sakura's blush deepening, and he grinned. 'Does this mean you trust me again?'

Sakura smiled back at him. 'Hai.'

But then her face saddened. 'But if I hide, then where are you?'

Syaoran looked thoughtful for a moment, and then sighed. 'Probably at home, in China, to make sure they wont follow you.'

The grip on his neck tightened a bit, and her face became a bit desperate. 'You can't do that… We finally made peace, and then you leave me? How can I run on my own?' She inched a bit closer, until their foreheads rest against each other and closed her eyes, tears still present. 'Don't leave me…'

She looked _so_ cute at that moment, that he couldn't help himself. He tilted her chin up, and kissed her softly on the lips, just for a few seconds. Her eyes were still closed, and she licked her lips a bit, tasting his taste again. Then her eyes slowly opened and looked at him with pleading eyes, making Syaoran sigh. 'Hai… I'll do whatever you want.'

She smiled and pressed her lips against his, deepening the last kiss. This time, it lasted longer…

xxxxx

Their surroundings changed from blackness into whiteness. Making a tall, beautiful women appear, all in black. She looked at the two with a small glare. Then her sister appeared, all in white, while their surroundings changed back to normal.

The two looked at each other, and sighed. They hadn't expect their capture to be like this. The Dark coughed a bit, startling two the love birds on the ground, who broke their kiss to look at them.

Sakura blushed a bit and then remembered, the two ladies in front of them, where the Clow cards she had felt earlier. How they had appeared here, was beyond her. She summoned her wand, and chanted the spell, to bound the Dark and Light to cards. When the cards flew her way, the Dark flew a step further, to Syaoran, who stood behind her.

Now she had really no idea what was going on, and that was very visible on her pouting face. Syaoran just smiled and gave the card to her.

They looked around, to see where they exactly were, only to see it was the Penguin Park _again_. They suddenly heard someone running up to them, and looking around, they saw Eriol and Tomoyo, the latter all tired from the long run.

'I can't believe I missed all that!' Tomoyo said, a bit angrily, which surprised everyone, except Eriol.

xxxxx

**Wai! Such a fast update! Wai! (cough cough…)**

**No, quite sorry for the long wait, as usual…**

**But what is Tomoyo doing that only Eriol and Meilin know for now? Wouldn't you want to know? I do…**

**Please, please review! And Thanks again for the last reviews..! wai!**

**Kawaii-animal**


	7. Convincing Yelen

**Titel:** Trust

**Summary:** Sakura likes Syaoran, but convinced herself of the opposite, when she figures out, he doesn't trust her at all. While capturing the cards, and living her hard life, Syaoran has to seek the truth behind all the mess. SS ET R&R

**Disclaimer:** noooooo I _still_ don't own CCS, of course!

Answering review:

**Cloverluck11: **That certainly helped! Thank you, so much! I will try to do better! I promise! ;) and is you know more, that can improve my writing skills, please tell so! That would be great!

And thank you for reviewing:

- Krnanimegrl

- FlowerLover

- Takari love

- 1-2-3-sakura-3-2-1

_**Chapter Seven**_

_**Convincing Yelen**_

'I can't believe I missed all that!' Tomoyo said, a bit angrily, which surprised them, except for Eriol. 'I mean…you have made up, right?' She changed the subject superbly with blinking eyes.

Sakura and Syaoran looked sheepishly at each other with a blush on their face and nodded.

'Kawaii!' Tomoyo squealed while running up to them. 'Finally! It took you a while though…' She said while she first hugged Sakura tightly, and then Syaoran. 'So, Sakura-chan, now you are finally back amongst the living, want to have a girls night at my place?' Tomoyo smiled sweetly at her, with pleading, yet sparkling eyes.

Sakura sweat dropped. 'Tomoyo-chan… I'm not really back. I would like to be friends again, but I still can't do anything outside school, as much as would love to.' She sighed as the sad look appeared in her eyes again, hoping they would understand. But she just had to yawn, so Tomoyo didn't catch the hint.

Tomoyo frowned. 'What do you mean, you can't? You made peace, right? As far as I know, you're an official couple now! You can't say that this doesn't change anything… heck, then you don't even have time to make out with Syaoran-kun!' She had that dreadful look in her eyes, like this would overcome her, and not Sakura and Syaoran.

'Tomoyo-chan…' Sakura and Syaoran said at the same time, sweat dropping. Tomoyo hung her head low, so they couldn't really find out if she was giving up or… something else. Sakura yawned again and then suddenly spoke afraid. 'Hoe! I don't have time for this! Touya can come here any moment now!' She looked around, and saw to her surprise, her big brother stepping into view, from behind a nearby three. She sweat dropped again and backed up a bit, and so did the rest. 'Onii-san…!'

Touya didn't look to happy about what he had just witnessed. 'Don't onii-san me, squirt! I think you really went to far this time! How many people now about this already?' He demanded.

Sakura shrieked and hid behind Syaoran. She popped her head out beside his shoulder. 'I didn't tell them, they figured it out on their own! And only Syaoran and Eriol know about it!' She paused and looked at Tomoyo. 'At least, I think…?'

Tomoyo beamed happily: 'I know about it to! And Meilin of course, but that's about it. And we figured out on our own to!'

'Oh, great…' Touya mumbled while Sakura sighed deeply. 'And that's not even the worst thing… LI SYAORAN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY SISTER!' He yelled suddenly, fire in his eyes. 'YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY _THE_ PERSON THAT DOESN'T DESERVE HER!'

Syaoran jumped a bit and hid behind Sakura, who gave him a weird look. 'Aren't you supposed to protect me? He is mad at me to, you know.' She asked with innocent eyes. Syaoran sighed, hitting her head softly. 'You do realize that you have an overprotective brother, right? So the worst thing that could happen to you, is that he screams his longs out, and he probably wouldn't even do that. But he could actually _kill_ me, for all I know.' Sakura blinked her eyes a few times and then looked at a steaming Touya. 'You're right,' She answered. 'I think he is capable of doing that.'

While Touya wanted to prove that, Tomoyo came in between, still with her innocent smile present. 'Oh, before I forget it, I figured out why the cards keep appearing in Penguin park. I thought, maybe you wanted to know?' Touya stopped immediately in his frontal attack on Syaoran – with Sakura still in between – and raised a brow at Tomoyo. 'What?'

'I thought you would be interested.' She said sweetly. 'Why don't we all sit somewhere, and I'll explain it.'

'Our house?' Sakura asked Touya with puppy dog eyes. He just mumbled something that the rest couldn't understand, but Sakura's smile widened, so they figured it was okay.

Touya was about to explode a second time, when Sakura walked besides Syaoran, on purpose, and she slid her hand in his, sticking her tongue out to her brother. Syaoran shot nervous glances between the two, and was ready to run, as soon as Touya made a sudden movement. But as long as the actions all came from her side, and not from him, Touya wouldn't kill him… yet. So he just let her hold his hand, what he didn't mind at all, of course.

xxxxx

Meilin ran as fast as she could, following her intuition in finding Syaoran. She just had to find him within the next half hour, or else…

After she was left behind in Sakura's secret hiding place, she went home to feel miserable. She skipped the next classes, but that was okay. It was not that she never had disappeared out of classes before.

When she got home, it didn't take long or the phone rang. She answered it, and that was where the trouble began, again. Her hands shook, as she listened to Yelen, her aunt, who asked her some questions in demanding voice. She tried to lie, but there is just no way you can lie to Li Yelen.

So she told her everything she wanted to know…

Tears streamed down her face, as she ran faster. _I'm sorry Syaoran…I really did all the things I could do wrong to you. _She was passing Penguin park, and realized that she run straight at Sakura's house. She almost bumped in the door, as she desperately rang the bell a couple of times.

The door went open violently and she met an very angered Touya, and Sakura, Syaoran, Eriol and Tomoyo standing in the hallway, taking of their coats. She pushed Touya out of the way and went straight to Syaoran. Syaoran already framed himself, afraid that she would jump him as usual, but instead she threw herself at the ground, kneeling in front of him, hands, pleading above her head.

'Syaoran, I'm sorry! You know I can't lie to her!' She began. Syaoran was already fearing the worst. _There is only one who sees trough every lie…_ 'She called, I tried to lie, but I couldn't! You know how she is!'

Syaoran's face went from pale to angry and scared at the same time. 'Mom is coming…' he uttered the words lifelessly. Their bystanders stood there silent, not getting the clue yet. 'Not know!' He cursed a couple of times in Chinese.

Meilin cringed on the floor, but spoke nonetheless. 'Syaoran, please! She comes with one of the elders and their guards. Go to her, take Eriol with you. I promise, I'll do anything to protect Sakura, I promise on everything that is valuable to me! Please Syaoran, I'm sorry!' Meilin was crying silent tears, but her entire body shook with each silent sob.

Syaoran cursed again, and then he got himself together again. He turned to Sakura, while he ignored Meilin. 'Sakura, stay with Touya and Meilin. Hide, on a place where you can defend yourself. It's no use hiding your magic, they will find you anyway. Use it to protect yourself.' He turned his head. 'Touya, Tomoyo, protect her at all costs. They probably wont hurt you two at once.' That only made the fear in those two rise.

He turned around fully, and stood over Meilin. 'Meilin, stand up, now!' She did so, as he demanded. 'Dry your tears, be strong, and protect her at all costs. You understand, Meilin?' She nodded. 'Okay, this was the last stupid thing you ever did, right?' She nodded again, while she got herself in control again. 'How much does she know?' He looked at her with the you-can't-lie-to-me-either look. 'Everything. She already seemed to know you loved her, before I said anything at all.'

'Damned, she knows me to well.' He turned around and motioned Eriol to follow him outside. Before he closed the door, he looked at Meilin. 'Don't you die on me, Li Meilin, for then I'll hunt you personally in your death.' Meilin mastered a small smile. 'They can only go over my dead body to get near her, and I certainly wont die.'

Turning to Sakura one last time, he said. 'I'm sorry it has to go this way. Be strong, okay? You can ask anything to Meilin what you want, she'll explain it.' With that he closed the door and disappeared from sight.

xxxxx

'You're kidding, right? Those are the options I have?' Sakura exclaimed in fear. She was momentarily using her cards to make a shield around the house, so no one could enter. Sitting back on a chair, she sighed heavily. After the capture of two cards, Light and Dark, she was already tired. This shield only made it worse.

'I think so.' Meilin answered, as she was armoring herself with weapons. 'Maybe the elders will have another solution, but I doubt it.' She gave some of her armory to Tomoyo and Touya, but only so that it wasn't visible on them. She had said, that they look like they have nothing to do with it all, but seeing weapons on them, that would change from innocent to guilty. 'It's only to protect you if it is really necessary. Don't use it recklessly, don't try to defend the others. That's my job.' She instructed Touya and Tomoyo.

Touya was only listening with half an ear, while Meilin was putting his weapons in his clothing. He was on the phone with Yukito, convincing him to come as soon as possible. In this battle, Yue was really needed. 'Yuki, _now_. This is serious, not a test for her strength. Just come, okay?'

Sakura was trying to keep her energy from draining, when she remembered something. 'Tomoyo-chan?'

'Hai, Sakura-chan?' She answered, while she was adjusting her clothes, so the sword like thingy Meilin gave was not visible.

'What was it that you wanted to tell us?'

Tomoyo looked up and met her eyes. 'Oh yeah! About Penguin Park. Um… let's see. I don't know the entire story about the Clow cards, so I don't know the reason behind it, but… The cards have some sort of home, or… how to call it? It's a place where every card comes from, like a nest, where all birds come from. _Bad example…_It's like their hiding place. All remaining cards are there, I suppose.'

Sakura blinked at her friend. _A hiding place? That doesn't make any sense…Aren't the cards scattered around this place, trying to find the card mistress? _

_I'm lost…_

'Ano, Tomoyo-chan… How do you know this?'

It was Tomoyo's turn to blink and stutter. _Noooo! A cover, I need a cover!_ 'Well… I was walking in the woods, when saw the place. Yeah, I saw it, and recognized it as the Clowcards.' _Really, really bad cover…!_

'Right… If you say so.' Sakura said, not believing a word she said, but hey, everybody had their secrets, right? _I sure have mine…_

Tomoyo sighed._ She is _so_ gullible… thank goodness!_

xxxxx

Syaoran ran to the airport, his green aura flaring around him. He looked stronger then ever, and his face stood angry. Eriol, besides him, had difficulty keeping in pace.

'Syaoran, calm down… It _is_ your mother… who we are going against… That's more scary… then getting involved with Meilin… when she is mad.' Eriol tried to reach his friend, and luckily, he saw a small smile forming on his lips.

'I know Eriol, that's exactly what I am doing. I just have to be angry to stand strong. As you said, it is my mother, and she has such a strong aura…' A chill ran down his spine as he thought about the upcoming confrontation. His former plan was wasted now, because Yelen already knew everything that was supposed to be a secret.

'I don't mind if you're angry! It's just… that this long run… is really tiring me out…' Eriol huffed as he was clutching his sides, to ease the pain. 'My condition… isn't that great…!' _Damn! Why isn't he tired at all?_

Syaoran grinned at his friend, still running at the same pace. They had already reached the airport, and he could feel his mothers aura coming their way. He slowed down, Eriol almost bumping into him, when he saw her appearing from around a corner. He skidded to a halt in front of her and one of the elders, (his uncle to be precisely, Xiao Sen) being instantly collected, while Eriol was desperately trying to catch his breath.

'Well, hello, my son. You seem in a hurry to meet your old mother.' Yelen greeted informally in Chinese, catching Syaoran off guard. Her long black hair reached her knees and only gave emphasis to her strict and formal appearance.

Syaoran on his turn bowed stiffly, greeting her in Chinese as well.

Yelen waved her hand. 'Oh, come on. Why so formal? I am your only mother after all!' She insisted to link her arm with his as she proceeded to walk and greeted Eriol happily.

Syaoran eyed his mother specifically. _Something is wrong…She is never this…uhm, happy?_ 'Mother,' He asked, his tone serious, eyes narrowed. 'did you drink?'

Yelen looked at him and started to laugh. Eriol and Xiao Sen, walking behind the two, sweat dropped at this question, although Eriol thought it actually might be true. 'I'm sorry dear, am I not allowed to be happy, when my only son has completed his mission, with Eriols help of course.' She turned and winked at Eriol, who wished he could run away. _If only she knew the entire truth…_He noticed a slight difference in those happy eyes. _It's a fake…_ 'I mean, you found the card mistress, and with that a future wife! That's a reason to be happy, right?' She exclaimed looking Syaoran strict in the eyes.

Syaoran gulped. _What…?_ Yelen laughed and slapped him playfully on the arm. 'Oh, don't worry. The engagement with Meilin is already canceled. She will find someone else, eventually.'

She steered him towards Sakura's house, without Syaoran noticing it. 'Mother, what are you talking about?' He asked weakly.

He didn't miss the change in her eyes, when a bit of the fury he had expected, was shown. 'Dear, you have fooled around long enough. The cards have found their mistress, so that means we can't take them from her anymore. The elders and I have consulted, and it is a fact that you and Kinomoto Sakura are going to marry.' Her tone changed from sweet to final, and Syaoran, for a moment, had no answer to that.

'We're here.' She said, and Syaoran was surprised to noticed they where at the Kinomoto residence. 'Eh?' Was al he could say. _How did we get here so fast?_

Yelen sighed. 'You're dealing with your mother, Syaoran. I know you better than anyone, so don't be surprised when I can manipulate you perfectly well.' She walked right trough the magic shield that Sakura had put around the house, and rang the bell.

As suspected… no one opened the door.

So she just opened it, like it wasn't locked at all.

Entering the house, dragging Syaoran behind her, she went to the living room, and saw Meilin… yes, in full armor. She looked from Meilin to Syaoran, and back, raising a brow. 'What?' Syaoran asked.

'You expected _that_ worse from me?' Yelen ask, using her puppy dog eyes, which was so _not_ Li Yelen.

Syaoran and Meilin looked at each other and shrugged. 'Well, yeah…' They said at the same time.

Yelen sighed. 'Okay, I guess you could expect that. Now tell me, where is my daughter-in-law?'

Meilin raised a brow at that question, until it hit her. 'NANI! You canceled the engagement that fast?' She screamed, making Sakura, Tomoyo and Touya popping there heads out from behind the kitchen door. _Oops _'Aunt Yelen, couldn't you at least _tell_ me so on the phone?' She asked with teary eyes. 'I wanted to marry Syao…' She mumbled afterwards.

Yelen laughed, _again_. 'Oh, Meilin dear. You didn't _ask_ me on the phone. And besides, don't pretend that you didn't see this coming.' She said, while she reached the kitchen door, unaware from the others, and took Sakura's hands. Observing her, she discovered innocent emerald eyes, a strong pink aura and determination beyond words to describe. 'Well, aren't you a cutie. Welcome in the family, dear.' She kissed Sakura on both cheeks. 'My name is Li Yelen, and you can always come to me, if you need help.'

'Ano…' Sakura stuttered, becoming a bit red in the face. 'I need help.'

'Then tell me, what is the problem?'

'I don't get. What's going on? I had the idea that we could expect a full scale attack, and not… well, this.' She uttered the words in high voice, a bit scared of the taller women in front of her. She radiated authority, like she only accepted to be treated like a queen. Actually, she even looked like one.

Yelen smiled sweetly at her, without loosing her queen-like-look. 'Dearest, you don't actually expect me to attack my own daughter-in-law, now do you? Oh, scratch that. Of course you thought so, after all, Syaoran and Meilin probably told you that.'

'Well we expected that!' They both yelled, getting angry.

'Daughter-in-law?' Sakura mumbled numbly. _Nani? What have I gotten myself into? Touya is gonna kill me! Hoe!_ 'Meaning… in marrying…'

'Yup! Marrying Syaoran!' Yelen exclaimed happily.

A loud 'HOEE!' was heard from Sakura and a 'KAWAII!' from Tomoyo, and at the same time, an angry Touya came out of the kitchen, towering over Yelen giving her his hardest glare ever. To his disappointment, she didn't cringe, not even a bit. 'Touya, I presume? I'm sorry, but there is no other choice. You have to live with it.' And in saying so, she pinched his cheeks a little, making him stunned in disbelieve, _and_ more angry as well.

'Now it just _happened_ to be that one of the honorable elders is here as well,' She turned to the older man in the room. 'so why not give her a full check of her magical powers, Xiao Sen-sama?' Xiao Sen, who had been standing on the side, nodded and came forward. But on that moment, Syaoran interrupted. He took Sakura's hand and dragged her outside the living room, upstairs. 'Just a moment, mother, be right back.'

Yelen didn't protest, only showed a vague smile.

In Sakura's room (he just happened to open the door to her room), he turned to her and held her shoulders. Before he could say anything she already started. 'Syaoran…! I'm just twenty, I can't marry yet.' She wined.

Syaoran smiled a bit. 'I know, I know.' He stroke her cheek to comfort her a bit. 'Sakura…' He knelt on one knee, taking one of her hands in his. 'I know it's a bit strange to ask you this, because everybody downstairs already assumes this, but… will you marry me, only…when we're a bit older?' He made it sound as if he wasn't sure of the question.

'That's the worst proposing I ever heard.' She said blinking her eyes.

'I know.' He said firmly and nodded.

'Especially, considering we just got together a few hours ago.'

'I know.' He said, his firmness falling a bit.

'And besides the fact that I obviously don't have a choice in this matter, whatsoever.'

He cringed a bit. 'If it depends on my mother, no.'

'And if it depends on you?' She asked, half hopefully.

He just hesitated for half a second. 'Then… we could delay the wedding for a few years, until you would think you're old enough, and in those years we could figure out something so you don't have to marry me. But…' This time he hesitated way longer. 'If it really would depend on me, after those years, I would still want to marry you, or that's what I think now.'

He looked her in the eyes, and all she could see was sincerity of what he said, and a bit of fear, that she would say no. 'So despite of what my mother wants, and what I want, tell me _pleas_e what you want.'

She knelt in front of him and touched his face softly. 'Syaoran… I think it's best to delay it, so I can think about my answer in the next few years. I just… I mean… I care for you, I really do, but we can't say we were on good terms with each other the past year, and we made peace about an_ hour_ ago, so that doesn't say I suddenly want to _marry_ you. But maybe…' She looked in his amber eyes which fascinated her so much. 'maybe marrying you would be all I wish for, at the end of the delay.'

Syaoran closed his eyes for a while and sighed. _I just hope you really want to marry me by then…_opening his eyes, he looked at the emerald pools in front of him, and he kissed her softly on the lips. 'Whatever you wish for.' He mumbled.

She hugged him, laying her face in his neck, as she asked: 'So on which terms do we agree with your mother? How many years?'

'Hmm.' He answered. 'How many years do you need? Twenty is, after all, not a very young age to marry. It has to sound logical.'

'Well… how about two years?'

'That's okay with me. Any more demands for my pour mother?' He asked, letting her go, and helping her up.

She smiled. 'Yes!'

'Eh…?'

'We have to finish school first. And your mother has to convince my brother. And the Clowcards are still mine. And…' She wanted to get on with her list, but was interrupted by an irritated voice.

'Don't forget the remaining Clowcards, Sakura. And most of all… DON'T FORGET ME!' Kero whined, as he flew out of the drawer that was his home.

'Kero!' Sakura exclaimed. 'I thought you where down with the others!' _O o…I really did forget him… Hoe!_

Kero mumbled something and flew trough the door opening, downstairs, to see who were "the others".

_-Downstairs-_

Sakura's powers and cards were being checked by Xiao Sen, while Touya and Tomoyo filled Kero in with the new people and the last update of all the news. (He was sleeping when the Dark and the Light appeared, so he didn't know anything at all about the last events.) Syaoran was talking to Yelen and Meilin, and he told his mother the conditions Sakura gave. After a whole lot of arguments from both sides, Yelen gave in, but demanded that Sakura and he were in China, every holiday, so that she could at least check on them once in a while.

When everything was settled a bit, Yukito came in, waving apologetic to all. 'Sorry I'm a bit late. Traffic, you know… So what was the hurry?'

'No hurry anymore, Yukito-san. Everything has been taking care of.' Sakura smiled sweetly, while she eyed Xiao Sen nervously, who was still busy checking her powers.

xxxxx

'NANI?' Chiharu exclaimed as the rest followed her in gaping at Syaoran and Sakura.

'Kawaii!' Naoko and Rika exclaimed.

'When? Are we invited?' Yamazaki asked.

Sakura and Syaoran sweat dropped and backed away a bit from the four overexcited friends. They had tried to explain _some _things about what happened to them, without mentioning the Clowcards, the wedding and the arrival of Yelen. But, as is clear, they failed about the part of the wedding. They glared at Tomoyo, who was the one that slipped.

'Gomen!' Tomoyo pleaded at them, using her sparkling eyes. 'But it _is_ just sooo KAWAII!'

'I don't get it yet.' Chiharu said, calming down a bit. She was already surprised that Sakura had joined the group of friends again, but that she and Syaoran were getting married, that was _way _overboard. 'Aren't you deciding this a bit to fast? For all we know, you were still in a fight yesterday.'

'True.' Yamazaki said. 'Good point.'

Chiharu bumped him on the head. 'Of course it is! I'm not like you!'

Sakura and Syaoran looked at Tomoyo for an explanation. It was her fault for telling them anyway, so she had to come up with the excuses.

xxxxx

Touya paced circles in his living room, Yukito sat on one of the chairs, observing the irritated pacing man, a smile as always present on his face.

'I can't take this, Yuki! She has me cornered.'

Touya spoke of Yelen, who had convinced him of letting his sister marry the Chinese brat.

'She is just blackmailing Sakura, it has to be. She just comes barging in and telling MY sister to marry that… that…!' He muttered some unheard words, and continued his long strides in the small living room.

Yuki only smiled, like nothing was wrong.

'And she said YES…! Yuki! Are you listening?' Touya yelled at his friend.

'Of course, Touya-kun.' He answered. 'But you know why, don't you?' Touya just looked irritated back. 'She loves him, she was just smart enough to not marry him this instant. You should be proud of her.'

'But…!'

'Now don't try to ignore that fact. You can not always protect her. Just accept that. And I know for sure she is in good hands with Syaoran.'

'Yuki! On who's side are you!' Touya ranted.

xxxxx

Sakura lay in bed, and stared at the ceiling. _What have I gotten myself into?_ She asked herself. She thought about that for a while.

It was strange though. It all went so fast. First she had a fight with him _(no, it wasn't really a fight, we just ignored each other…)_, and then the next moment they are betrothed. _How did that happen? It went to fast. It doesn't make sense._

Thoughts were twirling around in her head. Thoughts of what happened, of _him_. And in the end she came to an conclusion.

_I still have two years, before I marry him…What am I saying? Hmpf… it is true, I really have no doubts about the fact that I will eventually marry him. _

_But I like him, maybe even love him already… so why not?_

_I will all go alright, in the end…_

xxxxx

**Being sick really has it's advantages. I finally have time to write…!**

**I promise I'll be sick soon enough, to finish this story.**

**But I do hope, you'll review before that. And you'll do that for me, right?**

**Kawaii-animal**


	8. Deciding is sooo hard!

**Titel:** Trust

**Summary:** Sakura likes Syaoran, but convinced herself of the opposite, when she figures out, he doesn't trust her at all. While capturing the cards, and living her hard life, Syaoran has to seek the truth behind all the mess. SS ET R&R

**Disclaimer:** noooooo I still don't own CCS, of course!

Thank you for reviewing:

- takari love

- d

- sakura-kinomoto-li-syaoran

- FlowerLover (such a faithful reader )

_**Chapter Eight**_

**_Deciding Is S_ooo_ Hard_**

Only two years had to pass them. Just two, simple, short years… What's two years? _A long time… that's what it is!_

Syaoran and Sakura were both finishing school, still in Tomoeda, with all their friends supporting them. Tomoyo constantly tried to bring the couple together, but to no extra avail. They already spent a lot of time together, just acting like normal couples do. They went to the movies and restaurants, they studied together and Sakura even made Syaoran to shop together.

Touya tried desperately to break them up, as Yukito tried to hold Touya back and give Sakura and Syaoran a chance. Yukito was fully on Sakura's side, much to Touya's annoyance.

Meilin had cooled down a bit. She didn't really regret that Sakura was the one that got Syaoran. After all, as Yelen had said, she did sort of expected this to happen. So she just helped Tomoyo to help her 'create' all those kawaii scenes.

And as we speak of Yelen, she returned to her home in Hong Kong, expecting to see her son and daughter-in-law to visit anytime soon. Xiao-sen came with her, of course, anxious to tell the other elders the great news about the Card mistress and the Clowcards.

So now, all that had to happen, was the ending of the two years waiting period.

xxxxx

When the first vacation starts, Syaoran and Sakura are on their plane to Hong Kong, to visit his parents. Syaoran was pretty nervous.

Firstly, he knew that his four sisters, wouldn't leave Sakura alone for the first few hours, and he knew how irritating that could be.

Secondly, his mother always acted different, you could never know how she would react on any unforeseen events. She could be kind, or queen like, or sometimes just a total bitch.

And thirdly, he didn't live in _just_ a house… It was more like a castle. He knew Sakura wasn't used to that, and he wondered how she would take it, knowing that if she did marry him, she would spent a lot of time there.

He was really nervous indeed, because he didn't know if Sakura would want to stay with him, once she got to his home and met everyone.

Sakura, on the other hand, wasn't nervous at all, until she noticed that Syaoran was. She started wondering why he was nervous, and if she should be nervous as well, which actually made her nervous.

But when they arrived at Hong Kong airport, nothing out of the extraordinary happened. A tall man with gray hair and glasses awaited them, and greeted Syaoran with: 'Good afternoon, Master Li.'

'Hello, Wei.' Syaoran said in return, as Wei bowed a bit. He took Sakura's hand, and introduced her. 'Sakura, this is Wei, our faithful butler, Wei, this is Kinomoto Sakura, my… fiancé.' He blushed a bit, but Wei took her hand and smiled kindly. 'It's good to meet you, Miss Kinomoto.'

Sakura smiled back. 'It's nice to meet you to, Wei-san, but please call me Sakura.' Wei nodded and led them to the car which would take them to the Li-residence.

After a long drive, the car pulled up at the biggest house/mansion/castle, Sakura had ever seen. 'Welcome home, Master Li, Sakura-san.' Wei pronounced and Sakura gulped. She already had ideas in her head of getting lost on just one of the four floors. Syaoran took her hand, and led her to the front door, where Yelen was already waiting. She smiled and kissed them both on their cheeks, as she led the way inside.

Sakura was still admiring the house, as she heard loud squeals. She spun around, just in time to see four, quite identical women, who practically jumped all over her. She was introduced to the four people, in a swirl of hugs and kisses, and mostly squeals, sounding a lot like 'Kawaii!' but she forgot the names, as soon as she heard them.

She was saved by a loud 'Fanren! Feimei! Fuutie! Shiefa!' and the girls let go of Sakura who was quite dizzy. She saw Syaoran glare at the girls, who were obviously thinking about hugging him in the same way as they did with her, but eventually, fearing his glare just a little bit, they simply hugged Syaoran all once.

Syaoran stood beside Sakura, and introduced them – properly this time. 'The one with the shortest hair is Fanren, half long hair, is Shiefa, long hair and earrings are Feimei and Fuutie. It's really hard to keep the last two apart. Sisters, this is Kinomoto Sakura.' Sakura waved shyly, as she was desperately trying to remember the names.

After the introductions, Syaoran showed her around, with special attention to the garden, which he obviously liked best. When they came to her room, next to the room where Syaoran slept, she gaped at all the beauty. She didn't really feel comfortable with all this wealth around her.

The day went by, and as Sakura was in her room, she made herself ready for the night. But once lying on the soft bed and under the thick covers, she couldn't find sleep. She tossed and turned, but it didn't work, and with a final sigh, she got up again, pacing in the room.

_Will Syaoran still be awake? Would he…would he mind if I go to him?_

While she wondered that, she went to his room, and listened to the door. Hearing nothing and seeing no light, she was about to go back, when she suddenly heard the creepy sound of the wind blowing through the house. She _knew_ it was the wind, but it sounded so eerie, that was scared nonetheless.

So… she opened the door and entered Syaoran's room. It was dark, but she could still see his bed, and his form lying under the covers. She stood beside him, wondering what to do now, when one sleepy eye opened and spotted her. A matching sleepy voice asked softly: 'Sakura, what are you doing here? I thought you were already sleeping…'

'Eh.. I..' she stuttered. Would he be mad that she came in? But then she shrugged and blurted it out. 'I can't sleep! The bed is to soft, and there are to much blankets, and the room is so empty and I'm scared of the wind!' Her eyes were tightly shut, as she awaited his answer. But instead she heard a chuckle. Opening an eye, Syaoran motioned her to come over.

'You can sleep here, if you want. It's the same as in your room, but at least your not alone here.'

Sakura blushed bright red, but luckily for her, it was to dark for him to see. She slowly sat on the bed beside him, a bit far away, and lay down, her head on one of the many pillows. She was tensed and a bit scared, as she felt him move beside her.

'You're scared.' He accused her. 'Well don't worry, I wont do anything. See? I will sleep at the other end of the bed.' Although he said it casually, with a hint of a joke, she could hear he was hurt.

Sakura immediately felt sorry. _What am I scared of?_ She wondered. _It was bound to happen someday…_

She moved all the way to the other end of the bed, and kissed him softly in the neck. 'I know you wont do anything. I trust you. It's just… this is the first time that I'm in your bed, I'm supposed to be a bit scared, I think. I… I.. I didn't know if you would want me in your bed…' She whispered the last part.

Syaoran turned around to face her, and brought one of her hands to his lips. 'Why would I mind having you in my bed?' He whispered as he gave a little kiss on her fingers. 'Just because I love you?' His kisses trailed up her arm, to her neck, and she giggled as she let him hold her. When he stopped, he gave her one lingering kiss on her lips before whispering goodnight. She cradled herself in his arms and whispered back, while a small part of her mind silently whished that he had continued.

xxxxx

A few months later, Sakura sat in her room, behind her desk, as Syaoran sat on her bed, both doing homework. It had piled up, because of the many more fun things that existed, so they hardly did any homework at all. They were silent, concentrating on their work, but enjoying each others company as well. She sat in a different position every few minutes, because she was at her time of the month, which always made her feel uneasy.

Since they got together, Touya had, not exactly willingly, allowed that her friends came over, and that Sakura went to her friends, after school. So now Syaoran came often over, just to be with Sakura, and of course… to annoy Touya with his presence.

Nothing special had happened between them, no nightly events or special dates. They both knew Touya would start an enormous fight if he would find out, so they just didn't even spoke of doing 'things like that'. Although they did share the same bed when they where in Hong Kong.

Sakura was reading one of her school books, which was actually interesting to read. But as soon as the chapter ended, her thoughts drifted elsewhere. To be precisely… it drifted to a certain person, sitting on her bed.

She had to admit, she really, really liked him, and just hoped that everything would stay the same at the end of the "waiting period". As it seemed now, everything was going okay. Of course, they already had their fights, fits about the smallest things. But luckily, they always made peace, most of the times before the end of the day.

She really hated it if she was going to bed after one of those fights, without making up. _Silly fights…_ she thought, a frown appearing on her face.

'Syaoran?'

'Hmm…' came his reply, as he tried to find a way between listening to her and doing his homework.

'Why _do_ we always fights?'

Without thinking, Syaoran answered, mumbling. 'Couples are supposed to have fights.'

The frown on her face deepened, but Syaoran didn't notice, as Sakura turned around in her chair. 'What? What do you mean to say with that?' Her voice became a bit higher, which made Syaoran head snap up, fearing another fight. Not that he really bothered those fights, as long as is was peaceful at the end of the day.

'It's nothing big, Sakura. Couples _are_ supposed to fight. No couple can possibly agree on every little thing.' He saw her face frowning. 'Besides, wouldn't it be boring if we agreed on everything?' A small smile was plastered on his face at the last sentence, but he was not exactly joking.

'B-but…'Sakura stuttered. 'Do we have to fight so much? I don't like those fights!'

Syaoran sighed, as he motioned Sakura to come over to the bed, where she sat on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist, as she rested her head on his shoulder. 'I know, and I don't like those fights either. All we can do about it, is understand each other a bit better.'

'Aren't couples supposed to understand each other? Weird couple we are…'

Syaoran sniggered at that. 'But I understand you, Sakura… just not at every front. Like why you always seek for a fight at your time of the month.'

Sakura snorted, lifting her head up, to look in his eyes. 'I do not! You're the one that always gets in a fight with Touya to ruin the mood!' She snapped, but then quickly closed her mouth. Guiltily looking down, she whispered: 'I'm sorry… I guess really am a bit cranky at this time of the month.'

While Sakura looked down, Syaoran smiled. 'It's okay. And I am sorry for always fighting with Touya. I fight to often with _him_, but _we_, my dear, are not fighting _that_ much.'

A small smile appeared on her face. 'I know, only once a month.'

They laughed at that, their little argument already solved. Syaoran kissed her lips softly, but pulled back soon. 'I think you are not ready with your homework yet.' He said, a bit regrettable, pointing at the large pile of books, that was their homework.

xxxxx

The end of the two years was nearing, and Syaoran was nervous, while fidgeting with his thumbs. He sat on the couch in Tomoyo's bedroom, while she was putting in ideas to surprise Sakura.

When he had entered her room, he immediately noticed that there wasn't very much to see. The room was big, neat and quite empty. A door, which was carefully locked occupied on of the walls. Tomoyo refused to tell what was behind the door.

'At least we agree on the fact that you have to ask her to marry you, all over again. And this time, properly.' Tomoyo stated, as she was pacing, with an notebook in hand.

'And the idea about you making her outfit for that day, Tomoyo-san.' Eriol said. He too, was helping Syaoran to come up with some kind of plan. Well, he was trying to help. All he really did was bugging Syaoran with nonsense. All Eriol really wanted was a chance to stay close to Tomoyo.

'Of course, and the dress for the wedding too.' Tomoyo said, still pacing around.

'If she's going to say yes, that is.' Syaoran said. He wasn't really sure about that. Yes, everything had gone well the past two years, and everything was pointing in the direction of her saying yes to their marriage. But still… he couldn't be sure for a fully hundred percent.

'Of course she is!' Tomoyo and Eriol yelled at the top of their longs, while Syaoran was covering his ears with his hands.

'Why can't I just simply ask her to marry me, without all the difficult stuff you want to put around it?' It was, after all, Tomoyo's idea to make it something special. Not Syaoran's.

'Because that's _so_ not romantic!' Tomoyo explained, as if teaching a little kid, whacking Eriol on the head, as he was sniggering at Syaoran's nerve to ask Tomoyo something that was so stupid in her eyes.

'Oh, we're getting nowhere!' Tomoyo threw her hands in the air, as if saying it was all their fault. 'Come here tomorrow again, at four.' She ordered them sternly, as she shove them outside her room, down the stairs, and trough the front door. 'And think of something romantic to surprise her with!' She yelled as she closed the door, rather loudly.

xxxxx

Syaoran was out, something about an essay he had to work on with Eriol, so Sakura was sitting in Penguin Park, on one of the swings, her favorite spot to think calmly. Sunday, that was tomorrow, was the day that the two years ended, by her calculations.

Funny enough, neither she, nor Syaoran, had come up with a plan to make everyone happy, without getting married. Somewhere in the past two years, they had silently agreed that they would marry, whatever happened.

But they hadn't spoken about it, and that's why she got the silly idea, that maybe, just maybe, he wanted to back out of it. Her friends had all screamed and yelled at her, for thinking such thoughts, but still… it was a possibility. Okay, maybe a chance of one out of thousands, but still… there was this small possibility.

Swinging back and fort slowly, but going faster with every swing, she tried to get rid of those thoughts. Because it wasn't helping anything to get rid of her nervousness. And nervous she was. Really, really nervous.

_But for what? Everyone says it's all going to be alright, so why am I nervous?_

Because everybody said so, she had deliberately chosen a part time job, which she could quit anytime she wanted to. Because if she were to get married to Syaoran, then they would probably move to Hong Kong, for that's where the Li's have their headquarters.

She sighed as her thought drifted of to the future, wondering how her life would be, married to the man she loved. The swing slowed down once more, and eventually came to an halt. She got up and walked back home, tired of all the meaningless thinking. Besides, it was already getting darker.

xxxxx

Opening the door, she found the house deserted, all lights out, all shoes gone. She turned the light on, and walked to the kitchen, searching for a note of some kind. Normally, at this time of a regular Saturday, both her brother and father would be home.

Switching the light on, she saw a note hanging on the notice-board. She walked up to the board, to read it.

_Dear Sakura,_

_Go upstairs, Tomoyo made you a present._

Sakura wondered what this had to mean. It was, after all, a day early. And even when he did planned it a day earlier, what would Tomoyo have to do with it? Shrugging it off, she walked to her room, and once the light was on, she saw a green dress, lying on her bed, matching shoes and jewelry all present.

At the end of the bed, sitting on a chair…

sat…

Tomoyo. Her head rested on her arms, which where rested on the bed. She was fast asleep.

'Tomoyo-chan?' Sakura asked confused. Tomoyo didn't move, so Sakura poked her, until Tomoyo yelped awake.

'Whaa! Stop it!' She snapped sleepily.

'What? If I let you sleep, then who is going to explain all this?' Sakura said, as she pointed towards the dress.

Tomoyo now fully opened her eyes and looked around, as if just realizing where she was. 'Stupid Syaoran.' She muttered, as she stood up and stretched. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid…' And so on. She picked up the dress, and motioned Sakura to change. 'Come up, Sakura-chan, we haven't got all day. Let me see how it fits.'

Sakura obediently did as she was told, and took the dress to the bathroom, where she changed.

Coming in her room again, Tomoyo squealed in delight. 'Kawaii Sakura-chan! That looks _so_ lovely!'

Sakura raised an eyebrow, as Tomoyo just got rid of the grouchy mood she was in a moment ago.

'Here, let me help you.' Tomoyo said happily as she attached the jewelry on Sakura's neck, wrists and ears. She motioned Sakura to sit down, as she did her hair and make-up, completely ignoring Sakura's questions about why she had to change now all of a sudden.

Once Tomoyo was done, she overlooked her, seeing if anything was still missing, before approving on her looks. 'Okay, you look absolutely kawaii, Sakura-chan. Now, I am not approving of what happens next, but don't worry, in the end, it will be the same.' She gave Sakura another envelope, wearing that irritated look again.

Sakura opened the letter.

_Dear Sakura,_

_Don't mind Tomoyo. She is just cranky that it didn't turned out her way. _

_Please follow her instructions._

Tomoyo gave her directions to walk to, repeating it two times, so Sakura wouldn't forget where to go. Once she let Sakura out the door, she mumbled: 'At least she got to wear my dress…'

Sakura walked, following Tomoyo's directions. 'At the end of the street, go left.' She repeated the first line. It was a bit chilly, but Tomoyo didn't gave her a coat, saying that it didn't fit the dress.

Coming at the last of directions, she found herself in front of a restaurant. A luxurious one at that, known as the best in town. Wondering if she had taken the right directions, she slowly entered the main hall.

A waiter slowly approached, holding a plate with another envelope.

_Dear Sakura,_

_No, you haven't taken the wrong directions. This is indeed the place I let you to. _

_Please follow this gentle man, to lead the rest of the way. _

The butler smiled gently and led the way, going up a stair, through the restaurant, to a secluded part in the back, near the dance floor. There, the butler left her, saying she could enter here. Once he left, she took a deep breath, and entered the secluded area. Turning the corner, she could still here the soft music from the main restaurants, but most of the noise was gone.

There, at a small table, sat Syaoran, completely dressed in a tux, although his hair was still as messy as usually. She gasped a little, at the sight of his looks. Somehow, he looked more handsome then normally. The way he sat there, reading on of his notebooks from work, not noticing yet that she had arrived, made him look so… peaceful. So alluring, so… There wasn't really a word t describe him at that moment. _Maybe just completely kissable._ She giggled at that thought and he looked up from his book, spotting her.

She saw a blush appearing on his cheeks, as he took in her sight. He stood up, a bit clumsily, that has to bit said. But he regained posture, as he walked up to her, and took one of her hands. He bowed down and gave a small kiss on her hand.

'Sakura… you look absolutely stunning today.' She could here from his tone, that he meant every word, and her cheeks turned a deep scarlet.

'T-Thank you.' She stuttered. And after a thought, she continued. 'So do you.'

Syaoran smiled his brilliant smile, as he let her to the table, and moved the chair for her. Once she sat, he sat as well.

Soon after, the entrée was brought by the same waiter as before. After that more courses came, all small and extremely delicious. They chatted, as if they were just having a these things all the time. But all the same, Sakura felt very special. She clung to every of his words, entranced by this special night.

At one point, Syaoran asked Sakura to dance, and he led her to the dance floor. Not the one in the middle of the restaurant, but a private one, one the balcony, just behind their little secluded area.

They danced at the soft music, her dress swirling in the wind, their eyes locked in a sweet gaze.

At some point, Syaoran stopped dancing, and knelt down to one knee, still holding one of her hands. Sakura smiled sweetly, as she expected what to happen next.

'Sakura, last time, I gave you the worst proposing ever. A-and… now, two years later, I think I can only give you the second worst proposing ever. Erm… Sakura, I love you, with all my heart, and I can only hope that you do to. S-So Sakura, will you marry me?'

Syaoran brought the entire sentence stuttering and very fast. And although Sakura knew that he meant every word, and that it came from his heart, she couldn't help but let out a giggle.

That caused Syaoran to give her a hurt look, so she tried to stop, but to no avail. So instead, she just said a simple 'Yes.' Still giggling, she knelt down in front of him and threw her arms around his neck, bringing him of balance, so they both fell to the floor, Sakura on top. She looked up, staring in his eyes. 'Syaoran, I love you.'

Syaoran put his arms around her waist, hugging her like he was never going to let her go again. He brought her face down, and kissed her lips softly, yet determined. It gave him a funny feeling inside, and he just wanted to burst from happiness.

Finally, they unlocked their lips, and they stood up again. Sakura dusted her dress off, thinking Tomoyo would get angry if she ruined it. 'Ne, Syaoran, I didn't thought you would propose until tomorrow.'

Syaoran gave her a weird look. 'Why? The two years ended today.'

This made Sakura skeptical. 'No, it ends tomorrow.'

'No, today.'

'Tomorrow.'

'Today.'

'Tomorrow.'

'Today.'

'Tomorrow.'

'Today.'

'Tomorrow.'

'Today.'

'Tomorrow.'

'Today.'

'I thought yesterday.'

'Huh?' Syaoran and Sakura looked at the direction of the restaurant, and saw Meilin standing there.

'Yeah, I really thought it was yesterday, but Tomoyo said it would be two days later, so we thought we could best let Syaoran handle it. But congratulations! Now you're officially going to marry!'

'How long have you been here?' Sakura asked, all skeptical again.

'Oh, I don't know… at least you can't blame only me.'

This made Sakura and Syaoran only more irritated, and to make it worse, with 'not only me' Meilin meant a lot. Appearing next to Meilin, came Yelen, Fanren, Feimei, Fuutie, Shiefa, Wei, Eriol, Yukito and even Touya. Last one looking angry as hell, his arms claimed by two of the sisters.

Sakura and Syaoran sweat dropped at the sight, wondering how long they have been standing there. But they didn't have long to wonder, because their thoughts were cut short by loud squeals from the girls, big hugs, kisses and many congratulations.

xxxxx

Syaoran was dragged off by his many sisters and Meilin, and went under interrogation by Touya, who threatened him more then ones. Only Yukito could prevent anything from happening, and of course the thought of Sakura being unhappy, if he should kill Syaoran.

That left Sakura standing with Eriol, Yelen and Wei. 'Where's Tomoyo-chan? If you are all here, then shouldn't Tomoyo be as well?' Sakura asked confused.

Eriol, being the only one who actually knew, answered her. 'Oh, don't worry, she hasn't missed a thing. You'll see soon enough.

xxxxx

'Ne, Syaoran?'

'Hmm?'

'It wasn't the worst.'

'Really?'

'Really! It was the sweetest proposing ever!'

'Thank you, Sakura.'

He emphasized his words with a lingering kiss, that weakened her knees.

xxxxx

**THE END**

xxxxx

**Sugoi, finished! Oh, right, still the epilogue! Comes very, very quick! I promise! Today, or tomorrow… think tomorrow…. Hehehe**


	9. Epilogue

**Titel:** Trust

**Summary:** Sakura likes Syaoran, but convinced herself of the opposite, when she figures out, he doesn't trust her at all. While capturing the cards, and living her hard life, Syaoran has to seek the truth behind all the mess. SS ET R&R

**Disclaimer:** noooooo I still don't own CCS, of course!

_**Chapter nine**_

_**Epilogue**_

Tomoyo sat behind her computer. She was working on the last part of her master piece. Yesterday night, Syaoran had proposed to Sakura, and with that, an happy ending had come. The wedding was planned, and was supposed to happen within one month.

So it was only natural for her to work extra hard. She had invited Eriol to come over this evening, so he could say if her work was good or not. And while doing so, she would finally make a move for him, or so she decided.

_Almost finished. _She moved the mouse and deleted a few parts.

xxxxx

When Eriol was installed on the couch in her room, Tomoyo turned on the DVD. She plopped down beside Eriol, quite close actually.

Eriol didn't really know what she was going to show him, but it sounded urgent, so he decided to just watch and learn. The DVD started and he was surprised when he saw the title of the film he was about to see.

He look at Tomoyo for confirmation. She just looked at him with a smile and snuggled closer to him. A smile formed on his lips, when he relaxed on the couch, putting an arm around her shoulders, and watched the film with her.

xxxxx

It was the end of the wedding, the reception was full of friends and family of the two lovers. Syaoran and Sakura talked to each and every one of them, and danced with most of them.

Just when they thought the end of the party was coming near, Tomoyo asked for attention.

´Before everybody goes home, I would like to show you something. It shows everything our kawaii couple means to each other. It will take a while, so I suggest that you all sit down comfortably before we start.

When everybody sat, she started the film. She sat down besides Eriol, far, far away from Sakura and Syaoran.

When it started., the title came into view.

_Syaoran and Sakura: Their fight for love_

At that moment the entire story about Sakura and Syaoran, how they met, how they fought and how they got together, everything they had accomplished together, was screened in front of the entire group of friends and family.

Sakura and Syaoran where shocked, and glued to their chairs, as most of the crowd watched with aw, and laughed when needed. Luckily, everyone thought the part about the Clowcards was all made up, so no one questioned that.

Sakura squeezed Syaoran's hand trough the entire film, and so did he.

xxxxx

At the end, when everybody is home once more, we can see Sakura and Syaoran chasing a scared, but victorious Tomoyo. Eriol stood at the sight, just watching, and laughing at his dear Tomoyo.

xxxxx

**THE OFFICIAL END**


End file.
